Residential aged care end of life care pathway
The Residential Aged Care End of Life Care Pathway (RAC EoLCP) is a care plan that guides the provision of good quality end of life (terminal) care in residential aged care. It incorporates evidence and consensus-based best practice clinical management and care coordination for dying residents in residential aged care facilities.
Implementation of this care plan should be supported by education to all facility staff involved in the end of life (terminal) care of residents. Its use supports, but does not replace, good medical practice and the requirement to exercise clinical judgement. The final decision to commence the pathway is a clinical one, supported by the views of a suitably qualified practitioner and, if possible, the resident and/or their substitute decision maker.
Background
The RAC EoLCP was developed by the Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative (BSPCC) with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
It is recommended that the RAC EoLCP is implemented within a supportive framework. Components of the framework should include:
- Establishment of dedicated Palliative Care Link Nurses within the RACF
- Creation of palliative care educational resources, based on RAC EoLCP components, for RACF clinical staff
- Establishment of a RACF Medication Imprest System that allows for timely access to drugs commonly used at end of life
- Mechanisms to link RACF staff with Specialist Palliative Care colleagues to improve complex case management
- Mechanisms to facilitate GP support to provide end of life (terminal) care 'in place'.
Investigators
Prof Liz Reymond MBBS (Hons) FRACGP FAChPM PhD
Fiona Israel RN MCouns
Dr Margaret Charles PhD MAPS.
If you would like to view a watermarked copy of the RAC EoLCP document please click the below link:
Residential Aged Care End of Life Care Pathway - Watermarked Version (PDF, 1.18 MB)
The RAC EoLCP document is licensed under a Creative Commons licence. There is no cost associated with downloading or using the RAC EoLCP document however you must agree to the terms of the licence.
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Permission to use the RAC EoLCP
Permission is granted for use of the RAC EoLCP subject to the stipulations listed below.
- You are free to copy and communicate the work in its current form for non-commercial purposes, as long as you attribute the Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative.
- You may not alter or adapt the work in any way. However provision has been made for organisations to insert their logo and name into the header section of the interactive PDF.
- For permissions beyond the scope of this licence contact: Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative.
- Email: BSPCC@health.qld.gov.au. Telephone: 1300 007 227.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 3.0 Australia licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/au/
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How to use the document
The RAC EoLCP document is an interactive PDF allowing organisations to add their logo and name in the top left hand section of page one, if required.
Note: The RAC EoLCP has been designed to be used as a paper based point of care document therefore this is the only section of the document that may be changed.
To insert your organisation logo and name please follow these instructions:
- Click on the Queensland Government logo.
- A 'Select Image File' dialogue box will open.
- Select the image file required and the image will be uploaded (jpeg file format is recommended).
- Type the name of the facility in the section [Enter District/Facility/Service Here].
- Save / Print RAC EoLCP Form.