PRIORITIES: Home-Based Palliative Care

DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

While the Canadian Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Competency Framework sets a national standard for skills and knowledge across twelve core domains, there is increasing recognition among health system leaders, educators, and frontline providers that a greater understanding and use of emotional intelligence (EI) is foundational to translating competencies into practice. Emotional intelligence enables healthcare providers to navigate the emotional complexities of providing palliative care by:

  • Recognizing and regulating their emotional responses,
  • Understanding and responding to patients’ and families’ emotional needs and
  • Knowing how to use emotions when working as part of a multidisciplinary care team.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) Microlearning Courses

EI IN PALLIATIVE CARE

Strong emotional intelligence skills help providers support patients and families during vulnerable moments. This video shares how the CHCA’s Emotional Intelligence microlearning courses are transforming care – one meaningful interaction at a time.

A total of 23 EI Courses were developed for nurses and personal support workers (PSWs), each aligned with the domains of the Canadian Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Competency Framework. Grounded in three validated EI theories—Goleman’s Performance Model, Bar-On’s Competency Model, and the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Ability Model—the courses bridge the gap between emotional intelligence and clinical skills and knowledge, specifically competency-based palliative care.

The EI Courses are short (15-20 minutes), self-directed learning modules designed to introduce one EI skill supported by a specific behaviour change. The courses include interactive quizzes, self-reflection, tips, and case studies to reinforce learning. Courses are tailored to reflect the different scopes of practice for nurses and PSWs and are available in narrated or visual formats for accessibility. Each course includes:

  • An overview of EI and the specific palliative care competency
  • An explanation of the featured EI skill
  • A practical behaviour strategy to improve the EI skill
  • A case-based scenario
  • A summary and certificate of completion

Grounded in adult learning principles and Bloom’s Taxonomy, these courses help learners apply EI in daily care. While not comprehensive EI training, the courses offer a building-block approach, supporting layered learning and reinforcing EI within specific competency domains.

Access the EI Courses hub Download the guide to accessing the EI Courses

Reinforcing Emotional Intelligence: Group Activities and Practice Aids

To help frontline home care providers strengthen the attitude component of their palliative care competencies, the CHCA has developed a set of practical, easy-to-use resources. Aligned with six priority domains of the Canadian Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Competency Framework, these tools reinforce the content from the EI microlearning courses and support the application, practice, and integration of emotional intelligence skills and behaviours into daily care.

EI Group Activities:  EI Group Activities are short, structured learning sessions designed for use in team meetings or staff education sessions. Each activity includes a PowerPoint presentation with embedded facilitator notes to guide delivery. These 10–15 minute modules focus on a specific EI skill and feature engaging content such as self-assessments, interactive exercises, case studies, and guided group discussions. The Group Activities are ideal for building team awareness, strengthening communication, and supporting competency development in a collaborative setting.

EI Practice Aids: EI Practice Aids are one-page, printable tools that offer practical tips for developing and applying EI skills in daily practice. Designed as quick-reference resources, they can be used by healthcare providers in the field, shared with staff, posted in workspaces, included in orientation and training materials, or used as conversation starters during team huddles.

Emotional Self-Awareness and Mindfulness

Emotional self-awareness enables individuals to recognize and understand their feelings and how those feelings influence thoughts and behaviours. Practicing mindfulness offers a quick and effective way to ‘be present’ and acknowledge thoughts, emotions, and physical surroundings without reacting impulsively. These skills are fundamental to delivering a palliative approach to care.

Download Group Activity   |   Download the Practice Aid

Social Skills and Adapting Communication Styles

Social skills, also known as ‘people skills’, allow individuals to interact effectively, navigate various social interactions, and build positive relationships. Adapting communication styles to suit different situations and individuals—using a simple DISC model—fosters connection and ensures clear understanding with patients, families, and care team members.

Download Group Activity  |   Download the Practice Aid

Decision-Making and Reality Testing

Effective decision-making combines rational analysis, emotional insight, and intuitive judgment. This process is essential for making choices that prioritize patient well-being and promote holistic care. These resources introduce a straightforward, step-by-step method for comparing beliefs and assumptions to facts, supporting well-informed and unbiased decisions during collaborative care planning.

Download Group Activity  |  Download the Practice Aid

Interpersonal Relationships and Valuing Voices

Strong relationship skills are vital for effective care planning and collaborative practice. These skills help build trust, promote active listening, and enhance interdisciplinary teamwork. The resources reinforce the “B.O.N.D.S.” approach—an easy-to-use framework for developing strong interpersonal skills and fostering professional interactions in support of collaborative care.

Download Group Activity  |  Download the Practice Aid

Empathy and Reframing

Empathy involves understanding and sharing another person’s feelings and perspectives. Practicing reframing enhances empathy by changing how situations are perceived and responded to. This resource features the “Catch It, Check It, Change It” method to help identify and reframe thoughts, and support patients and families through the last days and hours of life with greater compassion and composure.

Download Group Activity  |  Download the Practice Aid

Stress Tolerance and Shifting Perspective

Stress tolerance is a critical EI skill that enables individuals to manage challenging situations, remain calm, and perform effectively under pressure. Shifting perspective and learning to navigate your “River of Well-Being” is an effective strategy for developing stress resilience and maintaining mental and emotional balance through self-care.

Download Group Activity  |  Download the Practice Aid

Home-Based Palliative Care page

This project has been made possible through a financial contribution from Health Canada.
The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada.

This post is also available in: French

Established in 1990, the Canadian Home Care Association (CHCA) is a national non-profit membership association dedicated to advancing excellence in home and community care.

National Office: 905-567-7373     |    General Inquiries: chca@cdnhomecare.ca

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This post is also available in: French