Palliative Care Practice unit (CNA537)

Online

Introduction

This unit equips you with advanced knowledge and skills to deliver culturally safe, person-centred, holistic palliative care for individuals with life-limiting conditions and their families and support networks. By applying the philosophy and principles of palliative care, you will learn to assess and respond to complex and evolving needs that influence a person’s quality of life with sensitivity to their goals, values and preferences. Through the development and communication of evidence-informed interventions and strategies, you will be supported to provide ethically grounded, collaborative and contextually responsive palliative and end-of-life care.

Summary

Unit name	Palliative Care Practice
Unit code	CNA537
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Health School of Nursing
Discipline	Nursing
Coordinator	Doctor Sara Karacsony
Delivered By	University of Tasmania
Level	Postgraduate

Availability

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Online	Semester 1

Note

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Units are offered in attending mode unless otherwise indicated (that is attendance is required at the campus identified). A unit identified as offered by distance, that is there is no requirement for attendance, is identified with a nominal enrolment campus. A unit offered to both attending students and by distance from the same campus is identified as having both modes of study.

Key Dates

Study Period	Start date	Census date	WW date	End date
Semester 1	22/2/2026	16/3/2026	19/4/2026	13/6/2026

* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).

Unit census dates currently displaying for 2026 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2026 will be available from the 1st October 2025. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).

About Census Dates

Learning Outcomes

• Apply palliative care principles to optimise the quality of life of people with life-limiting conditions.
• Assess the complex needs of people receiving palliative care and their families/support networks to guide clinical decision-making.
• Recommend interventions or strategies to address the complex needs of people receiving palliative care and their families/support networks. .
• Respond to contextual or ethical considerations in palliative care to navigate potential challenges and their implications.
• Communicate palliative care information and strategies to support culturally -safe shared decision- making with the person/family/support networks and team members.

Fee Information

Field of Education	Commencing Student Contribution 1,3	Grandfathered Student Contribution 1,3	Approved Pathway Course Student Contribution 2,3	Domestic Full Fee 4
060399	$592.00	$592.00	not applicable	$3,178.00

• Available as a Commonwealth Supported Place
• HECS-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility³
• FEE-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility⁴

¹ Please refer to more information on student contribution amounts.
² Please refer to more information on eligibility and Approved Pathway courses.
³ Please refer to more information on eligibility for HECS-HELP.
⁴ Please refer to more information on eligibility for FEE-HELP.

If you have any questions in relation to the fees, please contact UniConnect or more information is available on StudyAssist.

Please note: international students should refer to What is an indicative Fee? to get an indicative course cost.

Teaching

Teaching Pattern	Individual Study – This unit is offered fully online via MyLO (My Learning Online). You are expected to devote around 10 hours per week to the study materials, assessment tasks and self-directed learning. Online webinar - There are three, one-hour webinars.
Assessment	Palliative Care Planning – Initial Planning (20%)|Holistic Needs Assessment and Communication of Care Plan (30%)|Responding to complexity in palliative care (50%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required	There are no required textbooks for this unit. Required Readings will be provided by your Unit Coordinator.
Recommended	Recommended Readings will be provided by your Unit Coordinator via the Reading List link in MyLO, or the unit Reading List on the University Library website.

The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.