Palliative care aims to relieve suffering and improve quality of life for those who are living with and/or dying from a progressive life-limiting illness. The Concepts of Palliative Care, Board of Governors Certificate is a flexible delivery, part-time, online program designed to provide students with the specialized knowledge, skills and attitudes required to be involved with caring for a person with a life-limiting illness and their families.
Curriculum is delivered online from caring, experienced Palliative Care faculty. Students can expect to begin their learning in important topics such as an overview of palliative care coping with death, dying and grief and the available resources, both in home and through institutional care. Subsequent courses will delve into the quality of remaining life, empathetic and sensitive care, effective communication techniques, ethical, legal and spiritual concerns, psychological and social implications for patients and families, as well as comfort measures.
The program is intended for individuals who volunteer or are employed in occupations that may require them to work with families and patients who are living with and/or dying from a progressive life-limiting illnesses as it provides graduates with a strong foundational knowledge in Palliative Care concepts. Prospective students may already be employed in areas of Policing and Law Enforcement, Paramedics, Developmental Disabilities Workers, Pastoral Serves, Social Services, Bereavement Counsellors, or Visiting Volunteers.
This program is also suited for anyone who would like to explore key areas of Palliative Care. The Concepts of Palliative Care, Board of Governors Certificate is a complimentary program to the Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care, Hospice Palliative Care Ontario (HPCO) and the Comprehensive Advanced Palliative Care Education (CAPCE).
See Course List
Admission Requirements
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent; or mature student status.
Note: Students are encouraged to declare their program of choice with the Registrar's Office when registering for their first course. Students must declare their program of choice by the time they complete the third course in any one program. Applications for this program are not accepted through ontariocolleges.ca.
If you are taking part-time courses with the intention of completing a program and earning a credential,
you must meet Admission Requirements outlined on the program page. It is the student's responsibility to supply proof of admission
requirements to the Office of the Registrar before he/she has completed three courses in the program.
If you do complete the program and do not have the appropriate admission requirements, you will be ineligible to receive
your certificate or diploma.
If you believe you have an equivalent level of knowledge and would like credit for Prior Learning Assessment, please contact
Counselling at 519-479-1023 at least two weeks before classes begin.
Course List
Program Maps
Current Students
Current students can view program maps from previous years on the mylambton website.
You will need to login with your C# and password in order to access your program map.
Employment Opportunities
This certificate is intended to enhance the skillset of health care professionals and volunteers as it provides graduates with a strong foundational knowledge in Palliative Care concepts. This certificate will be relevant to prospective students currently employed in related occupations that deal with patients who are living with and/or dying from a progressive life-limiting illness.
Prospective students may already be members of Palliative Care teams in hospitals, long-term-care, group homes, hospices, community care agencies, and other areas where the needs of palliative care clients are addressed. This program is also suited for anyone who would like to explore key areas of Palliative Care.