San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine Receives Grant to Improve Nursing Education Programs Locally
For immediate Release
Contact: Melissa DelaCalzada, 619-278-6139; mdelacalzada@sdhospice.org [1]
San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine Receives Grant to Improve Nursing Education Programs Locally
Four local educational institutions have been selected to participate
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 26, 2010 -- San Diego Hospice [2] and The Institute for Palliative Medicine [3] received a $75,000 grant from the Hearst Foundation to develop a palliative care curriculum that will enhance nursing education programs offered locally.
Four universities and colleges have been selected to collaborate with The Institute for Palliative Medicine's faculty in integrating palliative care training for nurse education: Azusa Pacific University, California State University San Marcos, National University and Southwestern College.
Kathleen Pacurar [4], President & CEO of San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine is grateful for the grant that ultimately benefits patients and families.
"Our organization is committed to improving quality of life at every stage of life – whether through our innovative patient and family care programs, or through the dissemination of knowledge through our academic programs for healthcare professionals. We are grateful for the Hearst Foundation's support of enhancing nurse education programs through this grant."
Dr. Charles van Gunten [5], Provost of The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice, attests to the importance of better training for practitioners. "Our world-class program educates healthcare professionals in the most advanced treatment and procedures practiced in our specialty. They become advocates for the highest quality palliative care for patients and their families coping with life limiting illness."
The changes to the nursing program are being made possible thanks to a Hearst Foundation grant awarded to The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice. The grant is part of the Integrating Palliative Care Training into Nursing Education Project through The Institute for Palliative Medicine, working towards integrating the modules into the college's existing curriculum and taught by The Institute for Palliative Medicine's faculty.
In addition to nurse education, The Institute for Palliative Medicine hosts one of the largest physician training programs in palliative medicine in the nation. The Physician Fellowship Training Program at The Institute for Palliative Medicine is ACGME accredited and designed for physicians who wish to become subspecialists and pursue a long-term career as a clinician or academician in palliative medicine. More information is online at www.palliativemed.org.
About San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine
San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine (www.sdhospice.org [6]) is one of the 10 largest community-owned, not-for-profit hospices in the country, bringing compassionate, expert medical care to more than 1,000 seriously ill adults and children each day throughout San Diego and North County since 1977. In addition to patient care, The Institute for Palliative Medicine is internationally recognized for its excellence in palliative care education and research and has achieved international recognition for its innovative education programs, patient/family-centered research and evidence-based advocacy since 1989. The Institute for Palliative Medicine trains more than 2,000 healthcare professionals each year in the advances in hospice and palliative care. For more information, visit www.sdhospice.org [6]or call toll-free 1-866-688-1600.