Finding comfort in the grey - palliative care and supported natural death
Tracks
Stream One - Goldfields Theatre
| Thursday, March 20, 2025 |
| 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Goldfields Theatre |
Overview
Cat Walker and Jenny Sinclair
Speaker
Cat Walker
Cat Walker Mediation & Veterinary Consulting
Finding comfort in the grey - palliative care and supported natural death
Abstract
Our increasing ability to prolong life in patients with severe and chronic disease is one of the most exciting aspects of veterinary medicine. However, with this can come expectations of medical maximalism in which we view anything other than euthanasia or the trajectory towards ICU admission as failure. This can be a limiting and even dangerous belief when it comes to our mental wellbeing and ability to walk patients and clients through the end of life experience with compassion. In this panel we will explore beyond the black and white options of medical maximalism and euthanasia and how to be OK with “middle of the road” options like palliative care and supported natural death. There is no universal definition of “a good death” for humans or animals, and the ability to interrogate our own values can be protective against moral distress. We will consider caregiver burden in clients and team members, end of life communication, team debriefing, and mindset as the key to finding comfort in the grey.
Biography
Cat Walker is a Registered Veterinary Nurse, Lawyer, Mediator, International Speaker, and Associate Lecturer. Cat has a wealth of experience in the veterinary sector including ownership and management of general practice and emergency hospitals.
Cat empowers veterinary teams to maximise patient outcomes by navigating common lines of conflict using evidence-based strategies grounded in conflict theory and neuroscience.
With a past life in performing arts, Cat’s skills as a speaker shine through with her interactive, engaging, yet extremely professional style. Delegates benefit from the pragmatic nature of Cat’s talks in which her goal is for individuals to walk away with clear strategies that they can apply to their working lives. Cat is the voice and mind behind the Radio Vet Nurse podcast with over 70,000 downloads.
Jenny Sinclair
The Visiting Veterinarian
Finding comfort in the grey: palliative care and supported natural death
Biography
After graduating from The University of Queensland in 1998, Jenny worked in mixed practice for twelve months then commenced an internship at UQ Vet clinic St Lucia. In 2001 she attained Membership to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists by examination in Small Animal Internal Medicine. Since then, Jenny has had many roles within the Vet School including clinician, radiographer, lecturer, tutor, and researcher. Her work there continues to this day on a casual basis, in the form of lectures, surgery practicals and examination of overseas veterinarians seeking Australian registration.
Six years ago, Jenny started a mobile veterinary service in Brisbane. During this time, it became clear that a home vet visit was a much less stressful experience for most pets than a visit to a clinic. A home vet visit is never more important than at the end of a beloved pet’s life.
Jenny has a deep commitment to ensuring that the final vet visit is as relaxed and comfortable and as free from stress as possible. When it can be done, euthanasia for pets is best provided in the comfort of their own home, surrounded by those who love them.
