Award-winning palliative care course for health care professionals.

LEAP™ Core is an interprofessional course that focuses on the essential competencies to provide a palliative care approach. LEAP™ Core is taught by local experts who are experienced palliative care clinicians and educators.

“The best part of LEAP™ is the shared discussions between the multidisciplinary professions. As a new nurse, it is so helpful to hear from all the various team members. The opportunity to have open discussions about experiences and share knowledge was absolutely wonderful.”

Nurse,
LEAP™ Core learner

Delivery modes

LEAP™ Core can be delivered online, in-person, or by hybrid model.

Who is it for?

LEAP™ Core is ideal for any health care professional (e.g., physician, nurse, pharmacist, social worker) whose primary focus of work is not palliative care but who provides care for patients with life-threatening and progressive life-limiting illnesses.

LEAP™ Core promotes teamwork, supports interprofessional collaboration, and fosters connections among providers in different agencies who work together (e.g., community-based family physicians, home care nurses and community pharmacists).

Course features

• • • Interprofessional approach
    • Built by Canadian palliative care experts
    • Learners receive a LEAP™ certificate of completion and an electronic copy of the best-selling resource, the Pallium Palliative Pocketbook.
    • Online features:
      • • 17 interactive, self-learning online modules completed at your own pace (approximately 8 hours of work).
        • 6 hours of online webinars led by LEAP™ facilitators where learners will work through cases and discuss learnings from online modules.
    • Hybrid features:
      • • 17 interactive, self-learning online modules completed at your own pace (approximately 8 hours of work).
        • 6 hours of in-person, face-to-face learning led by LEAP™ facilitators where learners will work through cases and discuss learnings from online modules.
    • In-person features:
      • • Two days, 14 hours in total
        • Face-to-face learning with group discussion and case studies.

Accreditation

Online and Hybrid

This 2 credit-per-hour Group Learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Quebec College of Family Physicians, a continuing professional development–accrediting organization recognized by the Collège des médecins du Québec, for up to 24.0 Mainpro+ credits.

This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and approved by the University of Ottawa’s Office of Continuing Professional Development. You may claim a maximum of 12 hours (credits are automatically calculated).

In-person

This 2 credit-per-hour Group Learning program has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Quebec College of Family Physicians, a continuing professional development–accrediting organization recognized by the Collège des médecins du Québec, for up to 28.0 Mainpro+ credits.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of LEAP™ Core, learners should be able to:

• • • Describe the importance of self-awareness when providing palliative and end-of-life care.
    • Identify patients who could benefit from a palliative care approach earlier in the illness trajectory.
    • Assess and manage pain; delirium; gastrointestinal symptoms, hydration, and nutrition; and respiratory symptoms.
    • Promote and undertake Advance Care Planning discussions.
    • Develop plans to address spiritual, religious, or psychosocial needs.
    • Initiate essential discussions related to palliative and end-of-life care in daily work.
    • Prepare patients and families for last days and hours.
    • Understand and apply the criteria to be met before initiating palliative sedation.

“It used to be that we thought palliative care required a special set of skills that we didn’t have. After the team trained on LEAP™; we now have a common approach to managing and documenting care, as well as consistent protocols for when to involve home care professionals. Now, the family doctors in our health centre approach palliative care as an integral part of our practice.”

Dr. Declan Rowan.

Topics covered include

• • • Being aware
    • Taking ownership
    • Decision-making
    • Pain
    • Gastrointestinal symptoms, hydration and nutrition
    • Advance care planning
    • Delirium
    • Respiratory symptoms
    • Psychosocial and spiritual care
    • Grief
    • Essential conversations
    • Last days and hours
    • Request to hasten death
    • Palliative sedation
    • Resources and quality improvement