How online health information is presented affects its usability and developing an effective design can be a challenge if the target audience is broad and has diverse needs. Amanda Adams, PhD Candidate at Flinders University Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death, and Dying, discusses her study on how interface designs can help everyone to access and use health information.

There is a need for more research led by nurses working in clinical environments. In the last of our blog series for International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, Dr Caroline Phelan of Flinders University and academic at the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying (RePadd) discuss the important role of research nurses in developing evidence, and her personal experience.

To continue our celebration of the International Year of Nurses and Midwife, we are featuring blogs on nurses and their critical role in providing palliative care and how they can be supported further. Kylie Ash, National Project Manager for PCC4U and Melissa Slattery, Head of Discipline for Nursing at EQUALS International, discuss the need for a nationally consistent palliative care education for enrolled nurses, and how the PCC4U EN Toolkit and EQUALs Diploma of Nursing can help.

Dying to Know Day (August 8th) is an annual campaign that encourages community members and organisations to host events that encourage critical discussion and planning around death, dying, and grief. Holly Rankin-Smith, Communication Director at The Groundswell Project, discusses their campaign and the importance of having these critical conversations particularly during this COVID-19 pandemic. 

CareSearch developed and manages palliAGED to provide support in palliative care for the aged care sector. In July a new and final topic was released, Psychosocial Care. This sits at the core of palliative care and connects to many of the 37 topics already available on the palliAGED website. In practice, awareness of and attendance to psychosocial support should be a part of all aspects of palliative care. You can also read the blog by CareSearch staff members Susan Gravier and Robyn Dutschke on this release.