Building palliative approach to care skills in Nova Scotia

Rhonda Blinn has been a nurse at Nova Scotia Health for nearly 20 years. Working with Continuing Care intake, she often connects with individuals who are navigating serious, life-limiting illnesses and complex care decisions. 

Her work includes coordinating services for people with palliative care needs, so when an opportunity arose to take Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) training, she was quick to sign up.  

Created by Pallium Canada, the LEAP Core course, offers evidence-based palliative care education for providers.  

“I thought it would better help me understand what their care needs are and how I can be supportive to them and their families,” says Blinn. 

Every day in Nova Scotia, healthcare providers like Blinn support patients facing chronic or life-limiting illnesses and help them 'live well’ through it; a principle of palliative care. 

The Palliative Care Network at Nova Scotia Health offers LEAP programming to healthcare providers across the province to help them build knowledge and skills in the palliative approach to care. The goal of the palliative approach is to improve quality of life for people living with serious, life-limiting illnesses, and ensure their care aligns with what matters most to them and their chosen families.  

The programs, offered virtually, in person, or a combination of both explore scenarios that build practical knowledge that participants can use in their work.  

LEAP is available to healthcare teams across disciplines and places an emphasis on early identification. 

“LEAP provides a foundational understanding of what palliative care is and what a palliative approach to care encompasses,” says Brittney Amirault, operations consultant with the Palliative Care and Primary Health Care and Chronic Disease Management Networks.  

“This is increasingly important as the population ages and more people live longer with complex conditions.”  

Research shows that integrating a palliative approach into routine care can improve quality of life, support better symptom management, and reduce unnecessary hospital visits throughout illness and near the end of life. 

By bringing together providers from across the health system, including physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and other allied health professionals, LEAP creates opportunities for shared learning and collaboration. 

“It gives us all a shared language when we’re talking about the same topic,” Amirault says. “Everybody on the team has value and there’s value in LEAP for everyone.” 

LEAP offers a deeper understanding of palliative care and the needs of patients and their chosen families. Interactive sessions are used to cover topics like pain and symptom management, communication with patients and families, advance care planning, and the emotional and spiritual aspects of care.  

Blinn says the experience has influenced how she approaches conversations with patients and their chosen families. 

“We had case studies and discussions about what you would do in different scenarios and how to better support patients and their families,” says Blinn. “It gets you in the mindset to think, ‘how can I help people in the community get the resources they need?’,”  

Those supports might include nursing visits, home care services, or connecting families with community resources that help people remain comfortable at home. 

“Simple things like meals, personal care, or housekeeping can make life easier and reduce stress for the person and their family,” Blinn says. 

Beyond practical tools, LEAP can also reshape how providers think about their work. 

For Blinn, the experience was unexpectedly energizing. 

“It kind of revived my passion and love of nursing,” she said. “It was very enriching, both personally and professionally.” 

As more providers take advantage of LEAP programming, they help build a stronger foundation for compassionate, person-centred care across Nova Scotia, ensuring patients and their chosen families receive the support they need throughout all stages of life. 

Interested in learning more or registering for LEAP? Click here. 

Photo of Rhonda Blinn, a nurse working in Continuing Care intake, who benefitted from attending a Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) course. She is seen here with her dog, Chloé.