Examining the importance of advance care planning and therapy supervision models within a cancer centre

Abstract

This advanced practicum document reviews my experience with the Supportive Care Program (SCP) at the Northeast Cancer Centre (NECC) in Sudbury, Ontario. This practicum provided both project work and clinical opportunities. The project work consisted of two advance care planning projects: an environmental scan of cancer centres across Ontario and a chart audit that was specific to the NECC. These projects demonstrate the need for standardizing the process of advance care planning (ACP), as both projects demonstrated inconsistencies of current advance care planning standards within healthcare settings. An overview of current literature demonstrates the importance of incorporating ACP into every day healthcare conversations, as it can help promote patient care. In addition to the ACP projects, I also worked in collaboration with the social workers of the Supportive Care Program to create a new therapy supervision model. This model incorporated practices of reflectivity and debriefing, promoting supportive supervision. Through a combination of the literature as well as discussions with the social workers, together we were able to determine how supportive supervision would not only benefit the social workers but would also aid in patient service. This document also explores my shadowing and clinical experiences. Reviewing my work within a multidisciplinary team, I demonstrate how this work model added to my clinical experience, while aiding in patient care. This document also discusses the professional and personal growth that I gained through working with persons with cancer and their family’s, through reviewing my reflection of my experience.