Kristen is part of the Rapid Access Palliative Radiotherapy Initiative at Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) which aims to provide rapid assessment, planning and treatment for inpatients requiring palliative radiation therapy. Working as part of this team, Kristen will be able to continue to share my knowledge and skills learned on my PEPA placements. Once the COVID lockdowns
at PAH are complete and face to face in-services are reinstated, Kristen hopes to ensure a future in-service on pain management/breakthrough pain proceeds.
Kristen’s workplace activity of delivering in-services to fellow Radiation Therapists at PAH was well received. Her in-service focused on educating her colleagues on what the PEPA programs, her goals for learning and an overview of how both the RBWH Palliative and Supportive Care Service and the Redcliffe Palliative Care Unit work together to support palliative patients. Kristen also included 4 case studies of interest from the placement experience.
Kristen’s in-service led to further discussions with management and the Radiation Oncologist who specialises in treating Palliative patients. These discussions were positive with changes to the services current processes, where Radiation Therapists can now attend consent for palliative patients with the Radiation Oncologist/Registrar. This is with the intention the Radiation Therapist will gain a better understanding of the patient and are informed of what the patient has been told in order to be able to support the patient and their families or to reiterate the same
information if required. The PAH Radiation Oncologist was also going to network to the Palliative Care Services at PAH to arrange another in-service discussing pain relief as patients often require breakthrough pain relief in order to tolerate their treatment. Educating the staff on what is suitable for pain relief and when to administer will be beneficial to the patients and families.
Click the image below to see Kristen’s presentation.
