Victoria Hospice staff are involved in innovative and exciting research projects. These projects include partnership in the Victoria Palliative Research Network, a nationally-funded community of local scholars and care providers who will focus on improving communication at the end of life. Visit the VPRN website for information, helpful clinical tools and updates on current research.
Dr. Michael Downing is now Director of Research & Development at Victoria Hospice. Dr. Fraser Black is our new Medical Director, taking on the role previously held for over 26 years by Michael. Congratulations to both!
Other Research Projects
Symptom Outcomes Project: This project collected data about our patients’ symptoms and treatments through the use of hand held Palm Pilots™. Nurses and physicians entered this data during the course of their ongoing daily patient care. Collected information was then entered into a database immediately accessible in our clinical chart room. Future development will assist in the development of outcomes-based care and assist researchers and caregivers to improve end-of-life care. This research project won the prestigious British Columbia Public Sector Information Technology Award in the Public Value category.
We won! Victoria Hospice staff with our BCPSIT award.
Counselling Research Project: Victoria Hospice counsellors completed a research project that posed two questions: "What are the activities of hospice/palliative care counsellors that are directly related to patient and family care?" and "How do these activities relate to the changing needs of dying people and their families?" Research identified seven psychosocial activity themes: companioning; assessment, planning and evaluation; education; counselling interventions; facilitation and advocacy; consultation and reporting; and team support. Research findings were published in the Journal of Palliative Care 17:4/2001. Congratulations to Victoria Hospice counsellors Lucie Mattar, Caelin Rose, Mairi Scanlan, Marney Thompson, and Wendy Wainwright on the publication of this important research.
Victoria Hospice Partnership Projects
Vancouver Island Palliative Network (VIPN):
In partnership with the BC Cancer Agency, Victoria Hospice provides semi-annual VIPN workshops to provide clinical education to physicians and nurses
designated from 13 Vancouver Island communities. These VIPN representatives
are clinical resource professionals who then share their palliative care
knowledge and skills with other health care workers in their home communities.
