If supporting and promoting planning ahead is not a routine part of your workplace culture, you can take some leadership in promoting its importance.
Early planning and advance care planning within a health, community or home care setting works best if it is approached in a systematic way across the organisation; it should not be seen as the responsibility of one or more groups of staff only.
There needs to be a clear commitment to the process from senior management; early planning and advance care planning roles should be built into routine client management systems; staff should have ready access to information, forms and other resources; and there should be comprehensive education for all stakeholders.
It is recommended that systems to support early planning and advance care planning are implemented in a planned and co-ordinated way at a service or department level in the first instance. Inviting collaboration with other healthcare agencies, including local hospital representatives, aged care and primary health providers can ensure plans that are developed will be useful across all care providers.
What you can do
- Assess how systematic advance care planning is within your organisation
- Conduct an audit of advance care planning within your organisation
- Develop a plan for your organisation on how to systematically implement advance care planning
- Consider how to create sustainable change in advance care planning systems
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Become familiar with legislation and programs related to planning ahead in your state or territory.
ACT | NSW | NT | QLD | SA | TAS | VIC | WA - Organise education and training for other staff as appropriate
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Download and study the guidelines for staff in initiation and conduct of advance care planning discussions.