Palliative care learning options for Health Professionals working in acute care
Specific learning opportunities are available to upskill in the physical, social, cultural emotional and advance care planning needs of people with a palliative care or end-of-life care need. The following free educational opportunities are provided online:
| Course | Time | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| The End-of-life Essentials program provides education and training for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals working in acute hospitals so that they understand their roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities in delivering high-quality end-of-life care in that setting. | 20 – 50 minutes per module | Doctors, nurses, allied health professionals working in acute hospitals |
| End of Life Law for Clinicians (ELLC) helps clinicians learn about end-of-life law and the effects this has on end-of-life care and palliative care for patients. | 13 modules each 30-90 minutes | Medical practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals, medical students |
| Helping patients make informed decisions comprises four modules on discussing risks and benefits with patients and shared decision-making in practice. | 2 hours to complete the four modules | Allied health professionals |
| The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia provides online education on Palliative Care to help pharmacists navigate all aspects of palliative care from advance care planning through to bereavement support. | 5 hours | Pharmacists |
| Palliative Care Curriculum for Undergraduates (PCC4U) This program promotes the inclusion of palliative care education as part of all medical, nursing, and allied health undergraduate and entry-to-practice training, as well as their ongoing professional development. | Variable depending on modules undertaken | All health professionals |
| PalliBytes is a collection of short modules designed to provide focused and interactive palliative care learning opportunities for self-directed learning and group activities. | 5-15 minutes per module | Health and aged care workforce |
| Vital Talks (communication) provide a range of evidence-based modules which are either self-paced or virtual, covering beginner friendly communication improvement through to mastering tough conversations. Factsheets with practical communication guides are also available. | Variable depending on modules undertaken | All health professionals |
State based learning options
Many States and Territories also run their own education programs:
Education resources
Last updated 05 June 2026