SDAHO Hosts Series on End-of-Life Care

At the completion of this module, the participant will be able to:

1. Define the importance of ongoing communication with the interdisciplinary team, patient and family throughout an end-of-life process.
2. Identify three factors that influence communication in the palliative care setting.
3. Describe important factors in communicating bad news.
4. Identify communication characteristics that patient/families expect of healthcare professionals.

October 26, 11am CT – Loss, Grief & Bereavement
This module addresses the challenging aspects of grief, loss, and bereavement of patients and families as well as the loss experiences of healthcare professionals.

At the completion of this module, the participant will be able to:

1. Define loss, grief, bereavement, and mourning.
2. Distinguish between anticipatory grief, normal grief, complicated grief and disenfranchised grief.
3. Describe three tasks of grief and list five factors that may significantly affect the grief process.
4. Provide three interventions that may be appropriate to facilitate normal grief.
5. Verbalize an understanding of grief and loss issues as they relate to complex or traumatic circumstances.
6. Define personal death awareness and cumulative loss associated with professional caregiving.
7. Identify four systems of support the staff can access to assist in coping with death anxiety and loss.

This module focuses on care at the actual time of death, emphasizing the preparation necessary to insure the best care at this critical event in the trajectory of illness.

1. Assess an imminently dying patient and list five physical signs and symptoms of the dying process.
2. Assess physical, psychological, social, and spiritual care needs and interventions for an imminently dying patient and their family.
3. Discuss the role of the palliative care nurse surrounding the death of a patient.