Palliative Care Education Programme 2026

14 January 2026

Courses and workshops are offered for health professionals and carers. If you have specific requirement not listed, please contact us, we can work with you to tailor education to meet your needs.

Clinical Placements

Here at Nurse Maude Hospice, we welcome students and can offer a variety of clinical placements in our inpatient unit or with our multidisciplinary community team. We work closely with tertiary education providers to arrange visits and placements for nursing, medical, paramedicine, social work, occupational therapy and counselling students. 



During their time with us students are supported to develop their knowledge and skills relating to care of patients, families and whānau who are living with a life limiting condition.

Palliative Care courses and workshops

Nurse Maude Hospice Palliative Care Service is committed to ensuring that those providing care to patients with life-limiting illness feel confident in their skills and knowledge and have access to appropriate education and support.

Course Cost Code Time Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Foundations in Palliative Care $150 PC01 8:45am-4:40pm 21 22
Syringe Driver Workshop $80 PC02 1:30pm-3:30pm 19 11 11 2 / 25 6 / 27 15 6/29 10/24 2 7/19 4/23 14
Syrinde Driver Update $40 PC03 2:30pm-3:30pm 21 10 10 10 12 9 7 12 1 6 10 2
Palliative Care lecture Series Via webinar 7:30am-8:30am 5 5 5 7 4 2 6 3 1 5 3

Note for Fundamentals of Palliative Care course [FOPC]:
Online module must be completed prior to booking onto a workshop)

Course Code Time Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
The Palliative care Approach FOPC1 8:45am-4:40pm 15 13
Managing pain & long-term illness FOPC2 1:30pm-3:30pm 22 20
Care and support at the end of life FOPC3 2:30pm-3:30pm 29 27

Syringe Driver competency programme

Venue: Nurse Maude Hospice, 28 Mansfield Ave.


The Hospice New Zealand Syringe Driver Competency Programme is for registered and enrolled nurses and develops the knowledge and skills required to manage subcutaneous infusions using the Niki T34 / Bodyguard T syringe driver.

Initial certification provides 4 hours of professional development and involves completion of pre-reading, attendance at a two-hour workshop, demonstration of practical competence and completion of a written test. Certification is maintained by attending a 2 yearly update.

Foundations in Palliative Care

Venue: Ballroom, McDougall House


This 1-day workshop for nurses and allied health professionals aims to increase knowledge and understanding of the palliative approach and includes:


  • Principles of Palliative Care
  • Pain and Symptom Management
  • Care in the Last Days of Life
  • Communication and Goals of Care
  • Grief, Loss and Bereavement Support
  • Spiritual Care

Palliative Care for Caregivers

This Hospice New Zealand education programme is an alternative to Fundamentals of Palliative Care and helps caregivers, working in all care settings, explore their role in providing palliative care.


The course consists of four 90-minute seminars and is usually delivered on site to a group of 10 -15 caregivers. There is a small cost for the course workbook.


This programme is not intended for registered nurses who should either complete Fundamentals of Palliative Care or Foundations in Palliative Care.

Fundamentals of Palliative Care

Venue: Ballroom, McDougall House


The Fundamentals programme is for healthcare professionals and caregivers and aims to provide education and resources to enable the provision of skilled and competent palliative care.


The programme is delivered via a blended model of learning, consisting of 5 online modules and 3 face to face workshops. Complete the online modules first, starting with Essence, then you can book to attend the workshops at Nurse Maude. There is no cost for this programme.


There is further information about the Fundamentals of Palliative Care Programme on The Hospice NZ website.

Palliative Care Lecture Service

Hospice New Zealand provides lectures via Zoom webinar on the First Thursday of every month, February to December, 7.30 - 8.30am. Details on Hospice NZ website.

For further information about any of these courses, please contact

Raewyn Jenkins – Palliative Care Nurse Educator
Telephone: 03 375 4274
Email: Raewyn.Jenkins@nursemaude.org.nz


To book a place on the course, please use the booking form attachment below.
If you would like to print this information, please open and print the attached brochure below.

Download Registration Form Palliative Care Education Brochure
Press release announcing new partnership to shape home care for kaumātua, with brochures on a blue gradient background

Shared history, shared purpose: new partnership to shape home care for kaumātua

8 July 2026
Nurse Maude Association and Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust have entered a new partnership to co-design the future of home care for the community in Ōtautahi, bringing together more than a century of community care experience with a kaupapa Māori approach to whānau support. The organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding formalising their shared commitment to design and deliver home care services grounded in whānau, responsive to Māori, and connected to the wider needs of the community. The partnership brings together Nurse Maude's long-standing expertise in home and community health care with Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust’s kaupapa Māori approach and extensive experience supporting whānau from māmā and pēpi through to our kaumatua services such as our Taurite Tū; Wai Ora and Oranga Tonutanga programmes. Together, the organisations will explore new models of care that support whānau and kaumātua to remain well, connected and living independently at home. The signing, held in the lead-up to Matariki, reflected the shared values and whakapapa of both organisations. Matariki is a time to remember those who have gone before us, give thanks for the present, and look ahead with hope. A strong theme throughout the day was the legacy of Dame Aroha Reriti-Crofts and Sibylla Maude, two remarkable wāhine whose vision, compassion and commitment to their communities continue to shape the work of both organisations. This partnership honours that legacy, while creating opportunities for future generations. While the partnership has a strong focus on improving outcomes for Māori, both organisations believe the learning and approaches developed through this mahi have the potential to strengthen home care services for everyone in Ōtautahi.
Bright hospital room with two beds, windows, a table, and a sink in the foreground.

Nurse Maude welcomes investment in paediatric palliative care

14 May 2026
Nurse Maude welcomes the Government’s announcement of 15.5 million in additional funding for paediatric palliative care, recognising the difference this will make for children, young people and their whānau across Aotearoa. Louise Zacest, Chief Executive of Nurse Maude, says the investment acknowledges the complexity and importance of providing compassionate, specialist care at some of life’s most challenging times. “Caring for children with life-limiting conditions, and supporting their families, requires highly skilled, multidisciplinary teams and a strong network of services. This funding is an important step toward strengthening that support for families when they need it most.” In Canterbury, Nurse Maude already provides specialist paediatric palliative care both in the community and within its hospice, supported through a combination of its own investment and the generosity of its community. “We are proud to have specialist paediatric palliative nurses as part of our team, delivering care wherever it is needed — whether that’s in a child’s home or in our hospice,” says Zacest. Nurse Maude’s new hospice, opening on 17 June, has been thoughtfully designed to support children and their families, including dedicated paediatric facilities and an adjoining room so whānau can stay close to their child during inpatient care. This space has been made possible through a generous bequest from Cantabrian Mr Cyril Smith.