Improving Your Ability to Manage Patients In End-of-Life Care

Course Overview

The need for clinicians to maximize a patient's experience for a good death is as important as providing the patient with opportunities to maximize good health for life. One goal is not more valid than the other. Efforts to relieve suffering and anxiety as well as improve quality of life at the time of death should be as consistent as attempts to reverse illness and restore health. This interactive course focuses on key dimensions that affect one's approach to end-of-life (EOL). Palliative care is discussed along with advanced care planning and understanding and overcoming systems barriers. A 6-step protocol for communicating bad news is presented to provide clinicians an effective communication framework. Throughout the program, feedback-based, self-assessment questions relating to case-based dilemmas are presented to assist clinicians in assessing and improving their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs in caring for patients at EOL.

CCMC Ethics credit approval is pending for this course. The CCMC Code of Professional Conduct will be referenced in this presentation.

Learning Objectives

• Incorporate quality measures and tools to improve the quality of care for patients near EOL that align with national priorities
• Describe components of comprehensive pain assessment and interventions options related to pain and its management
• Evaluate the needs of the patient and caregivers near EOL and develop appropriate strategies to address them
• Explore communication techniques and personal skills that may be used when conveying difficult information to patients and families
• Assess legal methods and responsibilities to assist with EOL decisions