title: An innovative self-care module for palliative care medical learners.
abstract: Palliative care is a uniquely demanding field in that clinicians routinely address the complex needs of patients living with incurable illness. Due to their relative inexperience, medical learners completing a palliative care educational experience are particularly vulnerable to the stresses that are often encountered. To address this educational need, a structured Self-Care Module was developed for medical learners rotating through a palliative care clinical rotation. Components of this module include completion of a process recording exercise, a structured reflection, and participation in a facilitated group discussion. An examination of the acceptability, utility, and operational feasibility of the module demonstrated that 86% (n=35) of learners found the module helpful in reflecting on their clinical encounters, 86% (n=35) gained an appreciation for the importance of self-reflection and self-awareness as a component of self-care and 97% (n=35) gained a greater appreciation for sharing clinical experiences with other learners. This novel Self-Care Module was found to be a well accepted, useful, and operationally feasible educational experience for postgraduate and undergraduate learners completing a palliative care educational experience.
authors: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. hyon.kim@sunnybrook.ca
authors: Hyon C
authors: HC
authors: Kim
authors: Elaine
authors: E
authors: Rapp
authors: Ashlinder
authors: A
authors: Gill
authors: Jeff
authors: J
authors: Myers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D009864:Ontario; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*