Voluntary Assisted Dying Training

Voluntary Assisted Dying awareness unit

Any health professional might be asked about Voluntary Assisted Dying and will need to consider their level of involvement. This 20-30 minute online unit provides a short introduction to the voluntary assisted dying process, including minimum obligations that apply to registered health practitioners. It is targeted at health professionals but is available to anyone through Health Learning Online (note you may need to create an account), or through THEO for Department of Health and THS employees.

The Tasmanian Voluntary Assisted Dying Training

Any medical practitioner or registered nurse who wants to play a formal role in the voluntary assisted dying process is required under the Act to undertake the Tasmanian Voluntary Assisted Dying Training before they can do so.

Based on user testing, this training takes 5-10 hours to complete. The training includes modules on:

• Overview of voluntary assisted dying, and the international and Australian context
• The voluntary assisted dying process and roles of practitioners
• Conversations about voluntary assisted dying
• Voluntary assisted dying requests
• Eligibility determination
• Substance administration
• Self-care for practitioners
• Oversight and liability.

The training includes a formal assessment, and successful completion of the assessment must be verified by the Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission before a practitioner is authorised to play a role under the Act.

Undertaking this training does not oblige you to assist with Voluntary Assisted Dying, and it remains your choice on every occasion. After you have successfully completed the training, you will be asked to complete a survey which will indicate your preferred level of involvement in the voluntary assisted dying process (including no involvement). The Voluntary Assisted Dying Pharmacy Service will provide additional in-person education.

In addition, completing the training does not necessarily make you eligible to formally participate in the Voluntary Assisted Dying process, as there are additional eligibility requirements that must be met in relation to each patient. These are discussed further in the training.

Accreditation

Currently the Tasmanian Voluntary Assisted Dying Training is accredited by the following Colleges:

• Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACCRM)
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)