Marymount Hospice: Educating for a healthy approach to palliative care

Marymount Hospice runs a programme on the fundamental aspects of loss, grief, and bereavement that is open to everybody, including the public, writes Colette Sheridan

Director of education at Marymount Hospice in Cork, Geraldine Lynch, says that while her job can be very sad, it is also “very rewarding and necessary work”. Geraldine, who has been working with the hospice for 15 years, having secured a degree in nursing at UCD and a master’s degree in education at UCC, as well as working in the School of Nursing at Cork University Hospital, stresses the importance of continuing education in palliative care.

“We provide in-service education and continuing professional development (CPD) education for our own staff, as well as for healthcare providers across the HSE South. In addition, we provide academic education with a post-graduate diploma in palliative care with UCC and a CPD module on palliative care. We’re hoping to develop the post-grad to a master’s degree. The education centre aims to facilitate the professional and personal development of health carers, giving them the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills and to have this reflected in the care and services provided to patients and families.”