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Our study was a pilot test of an interdisciplinary training program in palliative care to improve the quality of care to terminally ill cancer and AIDS patients in rural and northern communities in Manitoba. The program involved two weeks of intense palliative care training for nurses, social workers, physicians, and volunteers. Four teams were trained during a six-month period. A repeated measures design was used to assess the effectiveness of the program. Results indicated that health professionals' knowledge about care of the dying, care of individuals with HIV/AIDS, and attitudes toward care of the dying improved upon completion of the training program and remained improved three months following the program. Improvements in use of medications, increased attention to family care, increased discussion of DNR orders, and increased consultation related to symptom management were evident following the training program. The parallel training program for volunteers was also judged to be effective.

This paper reports the results of a national survey of palliative care nurses conducted following a meeting of nurses at the Fifth Canadian Palliative Care Association Conference in 1993. The intent of the survey was to obtain information about Canadian palliative care nurses's perceptions of practice and professional issues. Eighty percent of respondents believed that palliative care nurses should form a palliative care nurses' organization, with the majority recommending that this occur under the auspices of the Canadian Palliative Care Association. Key issues of importance to palliative care nurses were identified. The two major issues of concern were (a) the need to develop standards of practice and (b) educational needs of palliative care nurses. Respondents also emphasized the importance of maintaining and fostering an interdisciplinary approach to palliative care. Results of this survey are to be further discussed at the Sixth Canadian Palliative Care Association Conference to be held in Halifax in October 1995.