End of Life Care

End-of-life care presents health care professionals (as well as patients and family members) with many challenges and dilemmas. Education in the holistic and integrative care of individuals at the end of life builds on and expands professional competencies and brings healing and transformation. 

The certificate in end-of-lIfe issues represents a specialization in the field of caring for those who are experiencing a terminal illness. It is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of individuals who work with dying patients by providing a multidisciplinary educational experience.

Lesson List:

• Lesson 1: End of Life Issues – Ethical Issues
  End-of-life care presents healthcare professionals with many ethical challenges and dilemmas. Understanding ethical theories and ethical principles can provide a foundation for decision making and for the provision of more compassionate, informed care.
• Lesson 2: End of Life Issues – Hospice and Palliative Care
  The role of hospice and palliative care is rapidly expanding due to a better understanding of end-of-life issues by health care professionals.
• Lesson 3: End of Life Issues – Pain Assessment and Management
  To provide quality care to individuals at this stage of their lives, health care practitioners must be particularly skilled at assessing pain, understanding misconceptions of pain management, addressing cultural issues in pain management, and providing effective pain therapies.
• Lesson 4: End of Life Issues – Physiological Changes at the End of Life
  Holistic end-of-life care provides relief, comfort, and support whenever possible. It involves a comprehensive approach to the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the individual during this unique time in their lives.
• Lesson 5: End of Life Issues – Death, Dying and Grief
  What is grief? What are normal grief responses? What is involved in the final life transition—death? The role of culture, palliative and hospice care, advance directives, the role of spirituality in death and dying, healing strategies and rituals are all important aspects of effective end-of-life care.
• Lesson 6: Cultural Considerations at the End of Life
  Diverse populations in the United States provide health-care professionals with tremendous opportunities to bridge cultural gaps and learn about different values and religious and spiritual belief systems.
• Lesson 7: Pediatric End-Of-Life Care – Compassion and Caring
  The death of a child is a devastating event with long-lasting effects on family, friends, and healthcare providers. While pediatric death rates in the United States have declined in the last century, pediatric death remains a critical healthcare issue.
• Lesson 8: Caregiving at the End of Life – Issues and Considerations
  Caregivers can be professionals but are often unpaid individuals who support a loved one through an illness or the last phase of life. By anticipating the demands of end-of-life, caregiving can shift the journey to one in which support focuses on acceptance and healing.
• Lesson 9: Organ and Tissue Donation and Recovery
  The gap between those who need an organ or tissue donation and the number of donations available is wide and growing. Health care providers need to understand the issues surrounding organ and tissue donation and recovery so they can effectively support the needs of donor families and donor recipients.

Course Dates and Times

Course Hours: 19 Hours

This workshop is offered through our continuing education online partner.