Una nueva forma de educación en cuidados paliativos

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) considers palliative care as one of the main participants of a national cancer control programme. Both education and investigation are necessary for the improvement of palliative care. At present, it is recommended that the instruction should be theoretical and practical at the same time. During the bus-round courses, the state of the patients who are later visited at home/hospital is presented and discussed. This course of action has taken place yearly since 1997 in the city of Rosario, Argentina, as part of an advanced international course in palliative care. In the article, the experience of the two international courses in palliative care held in Rosario, is described, summarizing the results of the satisfaction surveys made to the participants in the courses that took place in the years 1997 and 1998. Method: In 1997 as well as in 1998 the bus-rounds were part of the international courses in palliative care that were jointly organized by the University of Alberta (Canada) and the National University of Rosario (Argentina). Both courses had a theoretical/practical part (the visits to patients) that lasted for approximately 4 hours and a theoretical part that lasted for approximately 5 hours. This plan of activities took place every day of each course. The participants had to fill in an anonymous questionnaire in order to evaluate the quality of the rounds, referring to the general educational value of the course, the use of time and the usefulness of the strategies that were discussed. Results: Three rounds that lasted for 4 hours were made in each of the courses. A total of 32 patients were visited (19 in different hospitals and 13 at their homes). An average of 5,3 patients was presented per day. 93% (30 patients) of the cases were oncologycal and 7% (2 patients) had the diagnosis of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). In both courses 4 items of satisfaction were evaluated (educational value, use of time, methodology and usefulness of the acquired knowledge) on a numerical scale (from 1 to 5). The average was 4.91 points in three items and 4.93 points in one item. We conclude that bus rounds allow for intensive patient-based education and are perceived by participants as highly effective for palliative care education.