Palliative medicine: studying with heart and empathy at EvK Herne!

Palliative medicine: studying with heart and empathy at EvK Herne!

At the Evangelical Hospital Herne (EvK) the starting signal was recently given for an exciting seminar focused on palliative medicine. Dr. Katja Vogelsang, an experienced palliative medicine specialist, led the students from the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) through the day. The EvK Herne not only functions as the RUB's teaching hospital, but is also part of the EVA-Ruhr network, which includes a total of seven hospitals and various social institutions. The aim of the network is to strengthen medical care and close cooperation in training and further education, as reported by lokalkompass.de.

Palliative medicine is much more than just pain therapy. The focus is on maintaining quality of life and reducing anxiety in terminally ill patients. At this point, Dr. Vogelsang emphasized the importance of empathy and approachability, which are essential for successful palliative care. In this seminar, students gain deeper insights into practice; They learn how important communication with patients and relatives is and how to work together in an interdisciplinary manner with nurses, psychologists and pastors.

Palliative medicine is changing

Palliative medicine has been known in Germany since the mid-1980s and has continued to develop since then. According to the World Health Organization, it aims to improve the quality of life in life-threatening illnesses without accelerating or delaying the process of dying. Up to 90% of people could benefit from palliative care, but only around 30% actually receive this much-needed support. This emerges from an analysis by aerzteblatt.de.

An innovative aspect of palliative care is the use of humor. This can be a valuable resource for both patients and medical staff. Humor helps make the difficult process of dying more bearable and promotes social interaction. In fact, there have already been pilot projects that have shown how well humor works in palliative care. In a survey, over 75% of palliative care patients surveyed stated that they found humorous interventions to be appropriate.

Training for the future

Training in palliative medicine is of central importance. The interprofessional palliative care basic course, which is offered as part of the Akademie de La Tour, aims to improve the quality of life of affected people. Interdisciplinary approaches are necessary to protect patient self-determination and dignity. The course not only covers theoretical basics, but also practical experience. Participants are enabled to work together interprofessionally and learn essential skills in communication and self-management. Further information is available at akademie-delatour.at.

Exchange between different professional groups is essential for good palliative care. RUB students now have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the exciting and challenging world of palliative medicine through case studies and intensive seminars. A wide range of topics and approaches ensures that these future doctors have the necessary tools to face the challenges of palliative care.