Self-Directed Learning

The RACGP Rural FPS ST training package provides GPs with essential training to enable them to become a GP provider of Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS) and provide CBT-derived FPS counselling to patients in their practice.

This flexible, innovative training package uses a combination of technology, peer learning groups and locally available resources to provide GPs with access to FPS skills training whist remaining in their practice and community.

The 2020 intakes are now open and GPs who wish to participate can register.

• Intake 1: 10 February – 15 May 2020
• Intake 2: 13 April – 17 July 2020
• Intake 3: 22 June – 25 September 2020
• Intake 4: 31 August – 4 December 2020

The Drug and Alcohol Addiction Education Program includes a suite of incentivised activities to strengthen the capacity of General Practitioners to address drug and alcohol addiction in their communities. These activities include face-to-face workshops, online learning courses and webinars with subject matter experts, supported by resources for General Practitioners to use in their practice.

The Office of Advance Care Planning (OACP), Queensland Health hope these modules will support and enhance your practice with increased knowledge, skills and confidence to provide quality end-of-life care for frail older people in your care.

As more Queenslanders are now living longer, they are also living with increasing levels of frailty, requiring increased knowledge and skills in end-of-life care for those caring for this vulnerable population

Event Details

The five online education modules (15 mins each) are aimed at educating health care professionals about ACP, relevant Queensland law and standardised documentation, and best practice principles for introducing ACP for the people in your care.

• Module 1: Introducing advance care planning for the people in your care
• Module 2: Understanding advance care planning documents commonly used in Queensland
• Module 3: Supporting conversations to complete the Statement of Choices document
• Module 4: Cultural Considerations for End-Of-Life Care
• Module 5: Using the PREPARED framework to support advance care planning conversations

*Access by tablet or PC (not supported for use on mobile phone).

https://www.eolcarefop.com.au/eolcarefop/tabid/5668/Default.aspx

Diabetes Qualified provides accessible, engaging online diabetes education, diabetes courses and training for health professionals. We offer CPD accredited eLearning courses for health professionals such as nurses, podiatrists, pharmacists and exercise physiologists to provide you with increased knowledge and understanding of diabetes, so you can support the person living with, or at risk of diabetes. Our courses can be completed anywhere, anytime allowing you to conveniently learn at your own pace and earn CPD hours. Diabetes education helps you improve the support you provide to people living with diabetes.

• Glycemic Index and Diabetes Management
  This FREE 35 minute webinar will help you understand the GI of foods and evidence behind a low GI diet for managing diabetes.
• CSIRO low carbohydrate diet
  Watch this FREE 60 minute webinar to better understand the benefits of the CSIRO low carbohydrate diet.
• The importance of fibre in diabetes care and overall health
  A FREE two-part webinar series on the importance and role of fibre in diabetes care, from Diabetes Qualified and Kellogg Nutrition.
• Diabetes Webinar Series
  Understand diabetes, diabetes complications and insulin delivery in a 4 part webinar series for Health Professionals.

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) is pleased to present the Rural Doctors’ Family and Domestic Violence Education Package Online Learning Module.

The module was developed to strengthen the rural general practitioners’ capacity to address family violence within their community. It is based on a series of clinically focused case-based discussions with emphasis on providing best practice responses at both the individual and the community level.

The module is divided into six sections, each with its own multiple choice questionnaire and reflective survey:

1. Identifying Domestic Violence
2. Understanding Domestic Violence
3. Understanding the community – promotion, prevention and health education
4. Managing Domestic Violence
5. Demonstrating appropriate attitudes in practice – understanding the role and responsibilities of the GP in helping patients affected by Domestic Violence
6. Self reflection.

Communicating COVID-19 will provide the health workforce with evidence-based information and language to confidently address questions surrounding COVID-19 from patients, colleagues and the general public.

Overview
The Australian health sector is facing its biggest challenge since federation as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the globe. Clinicians are trusted members of the community. The health care workforce needs to be informed, confident and agile to rapidly respond to the changing demands of the pandemic. Clinicians may feel underprepared to explain diverse, complex questions from patients, colleagues and the general public surrounding COVID-19.

This online course aims to:

• Provide expert-informed answers to questions Australian clinicians face surrounding COVID-19.
• Deliver digestible, focused core knowledge on COVID-19 drawing on epidemiology, clinical science, ethics and legal expertise.

Designed for
Communicating COVID-19 is designed primarily for clinicians in primary care and hospital-based settings. Secondary audiences include pharmacists, nursing and allied health staff, aged care workers, and disability care workers. Elements of this course could be adapted for primary and secondary school teachers and for the general public.

Learning outcomes
Appreciate the multifaceted nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, including, epidemiology, clinical science, ethics and society, and law.

Obtain core scientific, medical, ethical and legal knowledge as relevant for healthcare professionals in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Confidently address questions on COVID-19 from patients, colleagues and the general public, incorporating multidisciplinary thinking in a rapidly evolving situation.

Run by both ACRRM and RDAA, the popular COVID-19 Rural and Remote Response webinar series addresses topics requested by Rural Generalists throughout Australia and is presented by on-the-ground experts every Tuesday at 8pm. Register for upcoming webinars  here or view recordings from previous webinars in the series below.

Previous webinars:

• Disaster Planning during COVID-19 – Tues 26 May 2020
  Dr Adam Coltzau will host a panel including Professor Brendan Murphy (Chief Medical Officer), Shane Fitzsimmons (Commissioner of Resilience NSW and Deputy Secretary Emergency Management) and Dr Kate Manderson (Rural GP who was involved in the disaster response for her community during the NSW Summer bushfires).
• COVID-19 and Mental Health – Tues 19 May 2020
  On the panel – Ms Christine Morgan, Chief Executive Officer/Commissioner from the National Mental Health Commission, Dr Sarah Chalmers, FACRRM and ACRRM Board member, and Mr Andrew Harvey, Chief Executive Officer of Western NSW PHN. Facilitated by FACRRM and specialist in Mental Health, Associate Professor Louise Stone.
• Palliative Care during COVID-19: What’s different? – Tues 12 May 2020
  On the panel: Dr Michael Chapman, (Director Palliative Care, Canberra Hospital), Dr David Saner (Palliative Medicine Specialist), Dr Sascha Saharov (Rural Generalist and Palliative Care Registrar) and Karen McKellar (Palliative Care Nurse).
• COVID-19 workforce planning – Tues 5 May 2020 
  On the panel: NSW Rural Doctors Network CEO Richard Colbran, RFDS CEO Frank Quinlan, Tas DHHS Dr George Cerchez, DoH First Assistant Secretary Workforce Fay Holden, lead by RDAA President Dr John Hall.
• Caring for the COVID-19 patient – Tues 28 April 2020 
  Dr Ewen McPhee, Dr Adele van der Merwe, Dr Michelle Hannan and Dr Cameron Nott discuss a mock case, and share their experience of preparing for and treating COVID-19 patients.
  Please enter the password 0K&.6v4* to play the recording.
• Collaborative networks during COVID-19 – Tues 21 April 2020 
  Join the National Rural Health Commissioner Prof Paul Worley to explore the need for collaborative networks across our regions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Latest developments on COVID-19 – Tues 14 April 2020
  Join The Hon Mark Coulton MP, Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government in this interactive webinar to answer your questions on the latest developments on COVID-19.
• All the things COVID-19 – Tues 7 April 2020
  Join ACRRM President Dr Ewen McPhee, RDAA President Dr John Hall and multi-award-winning producer and broadcaster, Dr Norman Swan in an interactive webinar to discuss all things COVID-19.

Join our expert panels as we discuss COVID-19

The COVID-19 situation makes the need for accurate, timely and trustworthy health information more important than ever.

With the global pandemic moving and changing daily, JCU is offering a range of informative webinars for health professionals and the wider community. Learn important information from expert panellists, broaden your knowledge and stay across the details of COVID-19.

Access previous webinars here, topics include:

• Episode 1: RNA Viruses for Dummies (7 April 2020)
• Episode 2: Mental Health in COVID-19 – Our Patients and Ourselves (14 April 2020)
• Episode 3: COVID-19 – Exit Strategies (21 April 2020)
• Episode 4: COVID-19 – Pregnancy and the Newborn (28 April 2020)
• Episode 5: Cats, Dogs and COVID-19 (5 May 2020)
• Episode 6: COVID-19 – Ask the Experts (12 May 2020)

• Approximately 2 hours
• 4 CPD points
• Approved as a CPD activity by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and accredited by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).

After completing the eLearning module, GPs will be able to:

• Describe the benefits and role of general practice in advance care planning (ACP) and early identification and assessment of patients’ palliative and supportive care needs;
• Use the Advance Project^TM Guide and evidence-based tools to initiate ACP and assessing patients and carers’ palliative and supportive care needs.;
• Identify and screen patients and carers who may benefit from ACP and/or a palliative and supportive care needs assessment;
• Evaluate patients’ and carers’ concerns, symptoms, questions and priorities identified through a structured ACP and/or supportive care needs assessment;
• Identify patients who could benefit from referral to specialist palliative care and explain the benefits of this referral to them

https://www.theadvanceproject.com.au/theadvanceproject/tabid/5231/Default.aspx

The aged care sector is facing an unprecedented challenge with the COVID-19 pandemic. Older Australians have an increased mortality rate if they contract COVID-19 and depending on their pre-morbid condition careful consideration is required to ensure the best care is provided within the right setting. Conversations around treatment decisions and quality of life are critical to ensure an individual’s wishes are known. This webinar series will provide a Q&A style format for frontline staff with experts within the aged care and specialist palliative care sectors to explore a broad range of issues facing those working in the aged care sector.

Home Care Providers

The aim of this webinar is to identify the palliative care issues facing home care providers in the context of COVID-19. Topics discussed will include:

• Understand the palliative care clinical management needs of a home care recipient with COVID-19 including recognition and management of deterioration.
• Co-ordination of care through integration arrangements with General Practitioners, community palliative care teams and geriatrician outreach services including telehealth.
• Processes and decision making around transfer to hospital.
• Access to and delivery of end of life medications.

Residential Aged Care

The aim of this webinar is to understand the palliative care issues facing residential aged care in the context of COVID-19. Topics discussed will include:

• Understand the palliative care clinical management of a resident with COVID-19 including recognition and management of deterioration.
• Accessing external supports such as specialist palliative care, General Practitioners, geriatric outreach services and nurse practitioners including the use of telehealth.
• Processes and decision making around transfer to hospital.
• Access to and delivery of end of life medications.

https://www.eldac.com.au/tabid/5999/Default.aspx

Advance care planning is an important part of Australia’s COVID-19 healthcare planning. The Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza 2019 cites the importance of Advance Care Directives as part of a coordinated response. However, current research demonstrates that only 25% of older Australians aged 65+ years have documented their preferences in an Advance Care Directive, despite individuals often reporting benefits in doing advance care planning.

General Practitioners
This webinar discusses the key ACP priorities and actions for GPs during COVID-19. It covers ethical considerations, ACP in CALD communities, the challenges of signing documents and more.

Aged Care Providers
Hear from industry experts discuss key ACP priorities and actions for the Aged Care sector during COVID-19. This webinar covers the current challenges, ethical considerations and more.

Health Service Providers
This webinar covers key ACP information and considerations for health professionals during COVID-19. Hear from sector experts including intensive care leaders, A/Prof Charlie Corke and Dr Peter Saul and more.

https://www.advancecareplanning.org.au/for-health-and-care-workers/covid-19-web#/

Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) is a national program funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, enabling Australians to make the best choices for their life and health care.

ACPA provides online courses and face-to-face workshops nationally, specifically designed to support aged care workers, health professionals and the general public learn more about advance care planning.

Complete any one of a series of 30 min modules:

• Module (1) One: Advance Care Planning Introduction
• Module (2) Two: Advance Care Planning Conversations
• Module (3) Three: Advance Care Planning Decision-Making – The Legal Implications
• Module (4) Four: Advance Care Planning Implementation

Or choose from a range of topics:

• Advance care planning aged care
• Advance Care Planning in the Primary Care Setting
• Advance Care Planning and Dementia
• Advance Care Planning Substitute Decision-Makers
• Advanced Communication
• Advance care planning and cultural diversity
• Advance Care Planning and Volunteers
• Advance Care Planning Substitute Decision-Makers

• Time: 1 hour
• RACGP: 2pts
• ACRRM: 1hr/1 CME PD

Advance care planning is an essential part of providing patient-centred care in line with a person’s goals, beliefs and preferences, especially in later life. This module covers the key aspects of creating an advance care plan, the selection of a substitute decision-maker, and the legal frameworks surrounding advance care plans.

By completing this learning activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe the benefits of advance care planning in primary care.
• Describe the role of general practice in advance care planning discussions.
• Identify opportunities to initiate and continue discussions of advance care planning.
• Access information regarding legislative aspects of advance care planning relevant to their jurisdiction.

This activity is sponsored by Advance Care Planning Australia.

https://www.thinkgp.com.au/education/advance-care-planning-primary-care

The three online education modules are aimed at educating registered nurses about the caring@home resources and how they can be used to teach carers to help manage breakthrough symptoms safely using subcutaneous medicines.

• Each module is 20 minutes
• Endorsed by ACN according to our Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Endorsed Course Standards.
• Allocated 1 CPD hour according to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia – Continuing Professional Development Standard.

This activity has been endorsed by APNA according to approved quality standards criteria.
Registered nurses completing these modules are eligible to claim 60 CPD minutes.

https://www.caringathomeproject.com.au/tabid/5319/Default.aspx

Join our expert panels as we discuss contemporary topics for Health Professionals

In this ever-changing world, it’s important to come together and share our findings on emerging health topics.

JCU is offering a range of informative webinars for health professionals featuring experts in various fields. Broaden your knowledge and stay across what’s happening on the health front.

Keep an eye on this page for upcoming episodes in the JCU Webinar Series.

Access previous webinars here, topics include:

• Episode 1: Physical health in isolation (26 May 2020)

IRON-MATTERS Podcasts

IRON-MATTERS is a series of interviews by and for medical and health practitioners focusing on hereditary haemochromatosis. The series is intended to provide general practitioners with in-depth information about this genetic chronic condition. Topics include:

• diagnosis in general practice with GP Dr Robert Menz
• the genetics of haemochromatosis with clinical geneticist Prof Martin Delatycki
• haemochromatosis and the liver with gastroenterologist Prof John Olynyk
• haemochromatotic arthropathy with rheumatologist Prof Graeme Carroll
• iron and the heart with cardiologist Prof David Playford
• best practice in venesection with nurse specialist Cindy Bryant
• Australian Red Cross Lifeblood therapeutic venesection program with Dr Peter Bentley
• bodily iron regulation with haematologist Prof Sant-Rayn Pasricha.

The first episode was published 1 June 2020. Future episodes will be published every two weeks.

• Episode 1: Diagnosing haemochomatosis in general practice
• Episode 2: Genetic screening for haemochomoatosis
• Episode 3: Lifeblood’s therapeutic donor program with Dr Pater Bentley

OVERVIEW

The Australian health sector is facing its biggest challenge since federation as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the globe. Clinicians are trusted members of the community. The health care workforce needs to be informed, confident and agile to rapidly respond to the changing demands of the pandemic. Clinicians may feel underprepared to explain diverse, complex questions from patients, colleagues and the general public surrounding COVID-19.

This online course aims to:

• Provide expert-informed answers to questions Australian clinicians face surrounding COVID-19.
• Deliver digestible, focused core knowledge on COVID-19 drawing on epidemiology, clinical science, ethics and legal expertise.

DESIGNED FOR

Communicating COVID-19 is designed primarily for clinicians in primary care and hospital-based settings. Secondary audiences include pharmacists, nursing and allied health staff, aged care workers, and disability care workers. Elements of this course could be adapted for primary and secondary school teachers and for the general public.

AFFILIATION

This online course is a collaboration between the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, the Melbourne Law School and the Mobile Learning Unit. It draws on the broad range of expertise held by The University of Melbourne academics and affiliated clinicians, ranging from epidemiology, vaccinology and infectious diseases, to law ethics and mental health.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Appreciate the multifaceted nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, including, epidemiology, clinical science, ethics and society, and law.
2. Obtain core scientific, medical, ethical and legal knowledge as relevant for healthcare professionals in the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. Confidently address questions on COVID-19 from patients, colleagues and the general public, incorporating multidisciplinary thinking in a rapidly evolving situation.

COURSE OUTLINE

This course consists of 8 tutorials released progressively each Wednesday over the coming weeks.

The course is organised thematically around four pillars:

1. Epidemiology

• measures and modelling in a pandemic
• the rationale of social distancing and ‘flattening the curve’
• evaluating rapid clinical trials for proposed therapeutic agents

2. Clinical science

• virology, genomics, and laboratory testing of SARS-CoV-2 virus
• prevention of COVID-19
• risk factors for severe disease with COVID-19
• management and outcomes of COVID-19

3. Ethics and Society

• Clinical ethics in a pandemic
• Allocation of scarce resources
• Obligations and responsibilities of healthcare professionals in a pandemic
• Coping strategies in uncertain times

4. Law

• Government public health interventions
• Service disruption in a pandemic
• Medico-legal indemnity in a pandemic

Each tutorial incoporates four key elements:

1. Relevant, accurate, regularly refreshed core knowledge to empower clinicians for communication and decision-making.
2. Informed phrasings with expert input to help address challenging questions from patients, colleagues and the general public.
3. Participant engagement to discuss content and submit their own phrasings/wordings.
4. Assessment to reinforce key background concepts, address knowledge gaps, and bolster participant confidence.

List of particular knowledge or skills obtained through course

In the week following Tutorial 4, a set of COVID-19 case studies and opportunities for review will be posted for students. Tutorial 5 will be available the week after the case-studies, with the remaining tutorials following on a weekly basis.  The evidence base around COVID-19 continues to evolve rapidly and the pause for reflection and review after tutorial four will enable us to ensure that tutorials in the second half of the course capture the latest and emerging evidence.

• Tutorial 1 – Clinical presentation of COVID-19: “I woke up with a runny nose. Do I have the coronavirus?” (Released)
• Tutorial 2 – Measurement and modelling in COVID-19: “What’s all this about flattening the curve?“ (Released)
• Tutorial 3 – Prevention of COVID-19: “Should I wear a mask to go outside?” (Released)
• Tutorial 4 – The science of COVID-19: “What’s a coronavirus, anyway?“ (Released)
• Case Studies (Expected release May 20, 2020)
• Tutorial 5 – Testing in COVID-19: “Someone on the train sneezed today. Can you please test me?” (Expected release June 3, 2020)
• Tutorial 6 – Residential, occupational and social context in COVID-19: “When I can’t keep distance, how do I keep safe?” (Expected release June 10, 2020)
• Tutorial 7 – Managing patients with COVID-19: “I’ve tested positive for the coronavirus. What now?” (Expected release June 17, 2020)
• Tutorial 8 – Vaccinology, end-games and the future of COVID-19: “When will this all end?” (Expected release June 24, 2020)

ASSESSMENT

The assessment is submission of the 8 tutorial unit self-assessments and cases studies.
A Certificate of Completion is provided upon satisfactory completion of Communicating COVID-19.

DELIVERY MODE

Course completion requires approximately 8-10 hours of e-learning. Given the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, tutorials will be released on a rolling basis. Content will be regularly and rigorously updated as new information and discoveries emerge.

Clinicians have the flexibility to study in their own time and location. Program materials can also be accessed using a web browser.

This free Digital Health Security Awareness course is designed for people who work in a variety of healthcare settings and roles. It includes examples that relate cyber security concepts to people’s work in healthcare organisations. The course has been developed by the Agency’s cyber security team, in consultation with representatives from a range of healthcare settings and disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, practice management and allied health.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to ensure people who work in healthcare are equipped to recognise and manage security risks. Social distancing requirements introduced in response to COVID-19 have resulted in an increased use of digital solutions to deliver healthcare. At the same time, malicious attackers have launched new attacks, many of which are related to COVID-19.

The Digital Health Security Awareness eLearning course includes five modules:

1. Introduction to security awareness
2. Think before you click
3. Passwords
4. Network and device security
5. Respond. Report. Protect Privacy.

After completing the course, learners will be able to:

• Describe common cyber security risks and recognise that they are continually evolving
• Adopt positive security behaviours to protect sensitive information
• Identify ways to reduce the likelihood of being impacted by cyber security threats
• Outline what to do in the case of a cyber security incident
• Identify key legislation and data breach reporting requirements.

Join an interdisciplinary panel of experts to explore tips and strategies in using technology for mental health consultations.

Learning outcomes

Watch this facilitated panel discussion to be better equipped to:

• improve awareness of the opportunities, challenges and risks in conducting mental health consultations by telephone and/or videoconferencing
• identify practical tips and strategies which support good outcomes (for the practitioner and the client) for telephone and/or videoconferencing mental health consultations
• Increase confidence in using telephone and/or videoconferencing to establish and/or maintain the therapeutic relationship with your client/s.

The Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre has released the recording of our recent webinar titled: Alcohol and the social determinants of health: an equity lens on interventions presented by Dr. Jane Fischer from the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), located at Flinders University in South Australia (SA).

Information provided in the webinar includes:

• patterns of alcohol use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• inequity and social determinants of health
• why alcohol use is associated with a disproportionate amount of harm and burden of disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• impact of equity on alcohol-related interventions
• impact of inequity on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drugs (AOD) workers and how it can be addressed.

Dr. Jane Fischer is a Research Fellow at NCETA and has worked in the AOD field for over 20 years in both Adelaide and Brisbane. Prior to her current position, Dr. Fischer was the Program Manager for the Centre for Drug and Alcohol Studies located at Biala, Queensland (Qld) Health.

The research program Dr. Fischer managed was responsible for evaluating and implementing SmokeCheck and the Indigenous Risk Impact Screen (IRIS). Her research focus explored how vulnerable populations assess their quality of life (QOL); and how different groups manage ‘taint’ and stigma, particularly by people who use AOD. Premised on equity, her work ranges from describing the many manifestations of a ‘good life’, through to QOL as a client-reported outcome measure; thereby potentially improving the effectiveness of individual and community interventions.

The Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre has released the recording of our recent webinar titled: What do we know about the impacts of cannabis use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities? presented by Dr. Julia Butt from the National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) at Curtin University, Western Australia (WA).

Information provided in the webinar includes:

• health risks associated with cannabis
• prevalence of cannabis use
• what we know about patterns of cannabis use
• impacts on individuals’ health and wellbeing
• impacts on communities
• impacts on workforce and organisations
• what else we need to know.

Dr. Julia Butt is a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Research Fellow at NDRI and a member of the Aboriginal Research Team. Dr. Butt is currently a Healthway Senior Fellow looking at the co-use of tobacco and cannabis.

The webinar runs for approximately 41 minutes.

Evidence shows that the most influential factor to patient participation in population-based preventative screening programs is a recommendation from a General Practitioner (GP). This course aims to provide information, resources, and tools to support GPs and their practice in their ongoing role to promote, encourage, and manage cancer screening according to evidence-based guidelines.

Amgen are thrilled to launch the Critical Consults in Osteoporosis ONLINE program – for your GPs and practice nurses to complete in their own time, pace and place.

This program earns the maximum 40 CPD points for GPs, with 4.5 hours of CPD for nurses.

It’s available for all HCPs (even those who have attended a prior Critical Consultations workshop as it will reinforce their knowledge).

The Password is CRITICAL www.onlineCC.com.au.