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Non-accredited short course
Palliative and end-of-life care course online
Course overview
Build your understanding of palliative and end-of-life care and the support worker’s role in providing compassionate, respectful assistance.
This course explores comfort, dignity and quality of life for people living with a life-limiting illness. You will learn about recognising changes, supporting individual preferences and communicating sensitively with the person and those important to them.
Through short lessons and realistic workplace scenarios, you will consider physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual needs, alongside documentation, teamwork and worker wellbeing.
Important
Palliative care can begin before the final stages of life and can be provided alongside treatments for the person’s illness. This course provides foundational knowledge and supports practice within your role, the individual care plan and clinical guidance.
Course objectives
- Understanding Palliative and End-of-Life Care: Explore their relationship and the importance of comfort, dignity, individual goals and quality of life.
- Recognising and Reporting Changes: Identify changes in comfort, appetite, alertness, breathing, mobility and support needs that require clinical attention.
- Providing Everyday Comfort: Understand how planned positioning, mouth care, hygiene, a calm environment and familiar routines can support wellbeing.
- Supporting Families and Significant Others: Practise sensitive communication, active listening and appropriate referral for additional support.
- Cultural, Spiritual and After-Death Care: Explore individual preferences, respectful care after death and the limits of your role.
- Documentation and Worker Wellbeing: Record observations clearly, communicate with the care team and recognise when you need supervision or emotional support.
What does the Palliative and End-of-Life Care Course Pack Include?
Practical resources you can keep and use whenever needed.
Reference Guide
Revisit core principles, observation prompts, communication reminders and worker support options.
Workbook
Reinforce your learning through practical, non-graded activities, reflection questions and workplace scenarios.
Workplace Checklist
Check important care-plan details, comfort preferences, reporting pathways and support contacts.
Who this course is for
- Aged care and personal care workers
- Disability support workers supporting people with life-limiting illness
- Home and community care workers
- New workers developing foundational palliative care knowledge
- Experienced workers refreshing their communication and observation practices
- Team leaders supporting compassionate care and staff wellbeing
Course outcomes
What you will be better prepared to do
1
Explain the purpose of palliative care and its relationship to end-of-life care
2
Recognise the importance of the person’s goals, values and preferences
3
Identify changes requiring timely nursing or clinical review
4
Support comfort measures within your training and care instructions
5
Communicate with honesty, sensitivity and respect
6
Listen to family concerns while maintaining the person’s privacy and wishes
7
Ask about cultural and spiritual preferences without making assumptions
8
Understand your responsibilities and limits around care after death
9
Record factual observations and provide clear handover information
10
Recognise grief, compassion fatigue and the need for workplace support
On the job
How the learning connects with everyday work
Scenario 1
More discomfort or breathlessness
A person appears more uncomfortable or breathless than usual.
Recognise the need to report the change promptly rather than assume it is an expected part of dying.
Scenario 2
Eating less or swallowing difficulty
A person eats less or develops swallowing difficulties.
Record the change and seek guidance about appropriate support without pressuring them to eat or drink.
Scenario 3
A family asks about time left
A family member asks how much time the person has left.
Respond sensitively and refer questions about prognosis to the responsible clinician.
Scenario 4
A familiar song or routine
A familiar song or routine helps the person settle.
Recognise the value of individual comfort preferences and share them with the care team.
Scenario 5
A cultural or spiritual request
A person requests a cultural or spiritual practice.
Ask what matters to them and help arrange appropriate support through the care team.
Scenario 6
A death during your shift
A death occurs during your shift.
Follow the relevant expected- or unexpected-death procedure and remain within your role.
Scenario 7
Feeling emotionally exhausted
You feel emotionally exhausted after repeated losses.
Recognise the need for supervision, recovery time or additional support.
Six simple steps
How the course works
1
Enrol online
Register and access your course.
2
Start when it suits you
Begin anytime and work through the learning at your own pace.
3
Explore the lessons
Learn about comfort, communication, observation, cultural needs and worker wellbeing.
4
Use your Course Pack
Download the Reference Guide, Workbook and Workplace Checklist.
5
Apply your understanding
Work through learning activities and realistic care scenarios.
6
Complete the course requirements
Finish the required learning and assessments to receive your Certificate of Completion.
How your learning is checked
- Palliative and end-of-life care principles
- Recognising and reporting changes
- Supporting comfort, dignity and individual preferences
- Sensitive communication and family support
- Cultural and spiritual considerations
- Role boundaries and procedures following a death
- Documentation, grief and worker wellbeing
Workbook activities are non-graded and provide opportunities to reflect on everyday practice. Online learning checks assess knowledge. They do not establish clinical competence to diagnose deterioration, change treatment or verify death.
What you will receive
After successfully meeting the course requirements, learners will receive a Certificate of Completion for the Get My Course Palliative and End-of-Life Care short course. You will also have the downloadable Course Pack for ongoing reference and learning.
Certificate of Completion
Awarded once you meet all course requirements.
This is non-accredited training. The Certificate of Completion is not a nationally recognised qualification or Statement of Attainment. It does not replace workplace induction, task-specific training, clinical supervision or professional registration requirements.
Why Palliative and End-of-Life Care Matters in Care Work
People living with a life-limiting illness may need changing levels of physical, emotional and practical support. Everyday care can make a meaningful difference to their comfort, dignity and connection with others.
Care workers are often well placed to notice changes and identify what helps the person feel more comfortable. Sharing these observations promptly supports timely clinical review and consistent care.
Compassionate support also includes respecting cultural and spiritual preferences, listening to those important to the person and recognising the emotional impact of this work on staff.
Frequently asked questions
What is palliative care?
Palliative care supports people living with a life-limiting illness and those important to them. It aims to improve quality of life through relief of suffering and support for physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.
Is palliative care only for the final days of life?
No. Palliative care can begin earlier in an illness and be provided alongside other treatments. End-of-life care focuses on support as a person approaches death.
Is this course nationally accredited?
No. This is a non-accredited Professional Development Short Course. Successful learners receive a Certificate of Completion, not a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment.
How is the course delivered?
The course is delivered online, with downloadable resources to support your learning.
When can I start?
You can start anytime. Enrol online and begin learning when it suits you.
Does this course qualify me to provide clinical palliative care?
No. It develops foundational knowledge for support and care workers. Clinical assessment, prescribing and treatment decisions remain the responsibility of appropriately qualified practitioners.
Will I learn how to support families?
Yes. The course explores listening, acknowledging emotions, offering practical support and referring questions appropriately. Information sharing must respect the person’s wishes, consent and confidentiality requirements.
Does the course cover cultural and spiritual needs?
Yes. It encourages workers to ask about individual preferences, avoid assumptions and support access to appropriate cultural, community or spiritual resources.
Will I learn about care after death?
Yes. The course introduces dignity, privacy, family support and following workplace procedures. Verification of death, notifications and care of the body must be handled by appropriately authorised people under the applicable procedure.
What should I do if a person’s condition changes suddenly?
Follow the person’s documented clinical and emergency response arrangements and seek prompt help. Do not assume that new distress or deterioration needs no response because the person receives palliative care.
Does the course cover grief and worker wellbeing?
Yes. It introduces cumulative grief and compassion fatigue, alongside supervision, peer support, professional boundaries and available workplace services.
Are the workbook activities graded?
No. Workbook activities reinforce learning. Required course assessments will be identified separately.
Can I keep the course resources?
Yes. Download the Reference Guide, Workbook and Workplace Checklist for future reference. Always use them alongside current care plans and workplace procedures.
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