Existential distress is notable in palliative care patients, particularly those with disfiguring life-limiting illnesses. This results in palliative care workers experiencing helplessness while witnessing patient's suffering. Our speaker, Dover Park Hospice senior medical social worker Koh Tang En, shared more about her journey with a cancer patient experiencing disfigurement. A palliative care worker's experience of helplessness encompasses the cause (witnessing suffering), compounding factor (non-recognition of helplessness), and alleviating factors (life affirmation, mutual recognition, and gratitude). Interwoven recognition between patients, families, workers, and organisations could strengthen each other as a form of healing.

Palliative care nurses play a critical role in managing end-of-life symptoms for patients who are cared for at home. Controlled drugs, backed by strict protocols and safe practices, are essential for symptom management. Dover Park Hospice Home Care Nurse Ms Koh Xin Ye, presented on the real-time tele-verification system practices and revisions implemented for safe, accurate and efficient dispensing and administration of controlled drugs to our home care patients. The findings show that the revised workflow increases the accuracy of the medication order and reduces risk of medication error while maintaining safety and efficiency.