Cheryl Tschupruk’s journey in improving palliative care in Nova Scotia began with a recognition of a critical gap in the healthcare system. As the Director of Palliative Care Integration at the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA), she saw firsthand how the province’s palliative care specialist teams were stretched thin, unable to support every patient in need. Cheryl believed that “all healthcare providers should have basic skills in palliative care, and they should know where—and how—to access specialist care when needed.”
Under her guidance, the NSHA worked diligently to implement the province’s palliative care strategy, focusing on building the knowledge, skills, and confidence of primary healthcare providers. Cheryl and her team faced the challenge of limited capacity to support multiple formal palliative education programs. They made the strategic decision to select one education program to deliver across the province, allowing for a more focused and efficient use of resources.
The chosen program was Pallium’s LEAP Core training, which aligned with the NSHA’s priorities and competencies. This decision was supported by the organization’s capacity-building working group. Cheryl was particularly pleased with LEAP Core’s ability to create a pool of providers with essential skills, which in turn increased access to palliative care in Nova Scotia. “By offering LEAP Core training, we’re creating a pool of providers who have the essential skills our province needs,” Cheryl says. “It allows us to be more efficient with resources because we’re sharing responsibility while increasing access to palliative care.”
Training and Feedback
The training fit well into the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness’ integrated palliative care strategy, especially in building capacity and promoting practice change. Since narrowing their focus to LEAP Core, the NSHA has trained over 1,200 healthcare providers and over 1,000 first responders, with annual targets set for ongoing training. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with Cheryl noting, “Close to 100 percent of people who take the training have positive feedback.”
Building Relationships and Trust
Cheryl values the in-class dynamic of the training, as it fosters relationships and builds trust among healthcare providers from different disciplines. “It’s not just about what you learn,” Cheryl says. “Bringing people together from different roles and disciplines builds trust, which is essential in health care.”
Cheryl has noticed a deliberate shift in mindset among primary healthcare professionals, with increased awareness of palliative care as a shared responsibility. “Everybody has a role to play,” she says. Her efforts have led to a growing pool of skilled palliative care providers in Nova Scotia, improving access to care for patients in need.
Encouraging Other Health Authorities
Cheryl encourages other health authorities to take a thoughtful approach to palliative care training, ensuring that healthcare providers are equipped with the core skills necessary to provide compassionate care. She recommends that provinces “identify the competencies they expect health care providers to have and determine which training solution will do the best job at building those core skills.” For Nova Scotia, Pallium’s LEAP™ courseware continues to meet their needs.
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