• Meet Ali... (getting to know each other)
• Lecture
• Small group discussions
• Popcorn-style feedback

Day 1: Principles of palliative care
Welcome and general introduction:

• Welcome
• Introduction and overview of the course week
• Introduction of the participants
• Experience in palliative care

A brief history of hospice and palliative care

• Contents: a. Meanings of words and the beginning of modern hospice work; b. What does "living the pioneering spirit" mean today?

Palliative care as an independent subject in the health care system (see Astana Conference 2018)

• Definitions (WHO; IAHPC, CAPC) and Needs Assessment Palliative Care
• Values and principles in palliative care - aspects of its philosophy
• Forms of care (e.g. outpatient hospice work), their levels and "how" (e.g. Advance care planning, EAPC White Paper on Standards and Norms)

Ten core competencies (EAPC White Paper on Education) Note: The contents of the EAPC White Papers will be clarified/deepened by means of examples/case studies, e.g. in the case of the core competencies the meaning of the spiritual dimension, or in the definition the meaning of Early Integration.

Attitude: Participants understand the individual significance of advanced/final stage diseases for patients and their relatives, the influence of symptoms and treatment on quality of life (e.g. "total pain") and the way decisions are made.

Knowledge: Participants know pathogenesis, symptoms and findings, assessment and pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for the most common problems in advanced/final stage diseases.

Skills: Participants are able to discuss a multidimensional and evidence-based symptom management of a patient.

• Lecture
• Profession-specific case review
• Interdisciplinary group work (small groups and plenum) based on palliative questions; posters, presentation of results
• Small groups discussions, popcorn-method plenum discussion

Day 2: Symptom management: symptoms, assessment, therapy

• Pain, difficulty breathing, gastrointestinal symptoms, anxiety, depression, delirium
• Dry mouth (xerostomia) and oral hygiene in the last phase of life
• Eating and drinking / Nutrition and fluid intake at the end of life

Discussion in the context of exemplary clinical pictures, taking into account the Total Pain concept, the multi-professional team, and ethical questions (change of therapy goals).

Note: Assessment instruments are mentioned, but are not in the foreground

Day 3: Profession-specific forums, Case study with discussion
Morning: profession-specific workshops:

• Physicians 
• Nurses 
• Psychologists, social workers and chaplains 

Profession-specific topics are dealt with in case studies and discussions.

Afternoon: from profession-specific to multidisciplinary
Case study with discussion

• Presentation of the clinical pattern of dementia, communication of a dignified attitude and psychological intervention options
• Raising awareness of the needs of relatives of palliative patients and teaching systemic approaches and interview techniques
• Presentation of different mourning models and obstacles in the mourning process

Attitude: Participant learns how to deal with patients with dementia in a dignified manner. Is sensitized to the needs and challenges of relatives in a palliative setting.

Knowledge: Participant acquires comprehensive knowledge about dementia, dignified treatment of patients with dementia, as well as communication techniques and intervention offers (reminder therapy, dignity-centred therapy). Participant learns about systemic approaches and offers for relatives of patients. He or she is familiar with different models of grief and with obstacles in the grief work.

Skills: Participant is able to communicate adequately with people suffering from dementia and to recognize limitations, especially pain. He can fall back on different intervention offers. In addition, the participant is able to adequately accompany relatives of patients. He can distinguish normal grief from pathological manifestations.

• Lecture (short overview of the theoretical possibilities)
• Case studies
• Group work with subsequent feedback in the plenum

• Dementia Care: clinical picture and ways of dealing with it; communication - validation, biographical memory, SPIKES
• Dementia Care: Aspects of ethics
• Systemic work, family and relatives and communication (e.g. circular questioning)
• Grief

• Reflecting on the special stresses/strain factors at work
• Stress and Burnout
• Protection factor team
• Relaxation methods and their effectiveness

Attitude: Participants understand the importance of teamwork, continuous self-reflection and mindful self-care in dealing with stress.

Knowledge: Participants are familiar with multifactorial stresses in everyday working life, know their health risks (e.g. burn-out) as well as adequate protective factors at team level (supervision) and individually (body-mind-method).

Skills: Participants are able to reflect on stresses and resources, communicate and implement a mindful approach to themselves and others.

• Lecture
• Self-awareness exercise (meditation)
• Exchange in small groups and in the plenum

Day 5: Self-care, team-building factors, communication

• Self-care: Mindfulness (theoretical input, exercises, also relaxation exercises)
• Factors promoting and inhibiting teamwork
• Communication (in team)
• Conclusion: Assessment, feedback, presentation of certificate