Dr Sarah Freeman is a GP who works at the Claremont Village Medical Centre, Claremont, Tasmania.
Sarah’s goals and reflection of learning were:
Goal – Gain a better understanding of medications used for symptom control. Reflection – “I felt this goal was well met”. “I feel more comfortable with the use of opiates and benzodiazepines in shortness of breath”.
Goal – Fully understand how to best make an Advance Care Directive (ACD). Reflection – “This was addressed mainly during community visits”. “It was also interesting to see how most of the hospital patients did have completed forms”
Goal – Opportunity to witness EOL care discussion with family and learn some communication skills. Reflection – “I really enjoyed witnessing the acute consults at the RHH and the use of active listening and silence by the doctors and CNCs in these discussions”.
Sarah believes that her key areas of learning and new skills acquired during her clinical placement were:
- Understanding of management of dyspnoea in palliative care
- Discovery of community palliative care services available
- New appreciation of the breadth of palliative care medicine
- All learning objectives mentioned above.
Sarah knows that her new knowledge and new skills will support:
- Explanation of available palliative care services to patients
- Help with different care strategies for patients with dyspnoea in end stage COPD.
Sarah is looking forward to sharing her new knowledge and new learning material /facts sheets with her colleagues at CMC (Claremont Village Medical Centre), and educating all the team on the sample syringe driver charts as well.