At BELhospice 17. On 17 and 18 October, a two-day palliative care training was held at BELhospice premises, aimed at professionals and professional associates from the social welfare system. This educational program, accredited by the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, was conducted under the guidance of Mijodrag Bogićević, a regional education specialist at Hospices of Hope, a British charity organisation that provides support for the development of palliative care in Southeast Europe and beyond.
U BELhospice prostorijama
Participants worked through eight sessions: from the definition, philosophy and principles of palliative care, through psychosocial assessment and family assessment, challenges in communication, to topics related to children and young people, marginalised groups, bereavement support and teamwork.
What distinguished this training was its dynamic approach. Instead of lectures, participants led the discussions themselves: they asked questions, shared experiences from their institutions, and identified common challenges. The topic of palliative care demands this kind of exchange: it is not enough to know procedures; one must understand what it means to work with people in the most difficult stages of life, with their families, with grief and uncertainty. Participants were inspired precisely by this context, both by their colleagues and by the materials and topics covered.
Results and Application
All participants successfully completed the training and received 15 active credits, which allows them to continue their participation in education and professional development systems within their institutions.
Through evaluation, testing and the sessions themselves, they demonstrated their understanding of how to apply palliative care knowledge in their practice, which was the goal of this gathering. The evaluation questionnaires participants completed were filled with very positive comments and impressions. The overall training received the highest rating of 5.00 out of 5, and we hope that our colleagues will successfully implement their newly acquired knowledge and skills in their future work.
We thank all participants for their high level of motivation, participation in discussions, interactive approach and inspiration. We are pleased that the training topic was so stimulating for all of us.
We extend our special gratitude to the Monument restaurant for providing lunch for all participants throughout these two days.
BELhospice has conducted more than 10 such trainings over the past 10 years, reaching over 250 participants from across Serbia. We are grateful for the opportunity to help the community better understand and support those who are most vulnerable through education, and we look forward to new opportunities for knowledge exchange.
