• Lisa Engel and Robin Love.
• Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA), Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. lisa.engel@mail.utoronto.ca
• J Palliat Med. 2013 Mar 1; 16 (3): 295-300.

BackgroundSafe patient handling (SPH) and positioning is a worldwide health care issue in both developed and developing countries. It is important for all caregivers and patients but especially for palliative care and oncology patients. While there is a wide breadth of curriculum available in developed countries, little information is available about how to teach SPH and positioning in a developing country where resources are very limited.Objective/MethodologyThis article describes the process and recommendations used by a Canadian multidisciplinary health professional team in developing SPH curriculums for palliative care communities in Nepal. Educational materials were developed to teach SPH to a group of health care professionals at a palliative care conference in Bhaktapur, Nepal, in addition to a number of other settings within the Kathmandu Valley area.ResultsCurrent barriers toward future development of SPH in Nepal are defined and discussed. The SPH curriculums that have been created are provided and specific recommendations are outlined. There is a dearth of research to guide SPH education in developing countries. SPH change requires long-term support and curriculums that are culturally sensitive and contextually appropriate.

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