Course Code: REL-PAC-ELNEC-USMFHLPC
Hours: 1.5
Type: Online Course
Content Expiration Date: 12/31/2026
Learning Objectives:
Discuss key concepts that are part of end-of-life care as nurses guide patients and families in preparing for death.
Describe nursing care related to the holistic needs of patients and families in the final hours of life.
Describe the provision of care for the body after death.
Outline:
Section 1: Introduction
About This Module
Learning Objectives
Section 2: Preparing for Death
A “Good” or Meaningful Death
Witnessing A Good Death
Nurses’ Experiences with Patients’ Deaths
Reflection
The Nurse, Dying, and Death
Being With and Bearing Witness
“Am I Dying?”
Effective Communication
Responding to Patient and Family Questions about Death
Individualized, Personal Experience
Preparing for Death
When the Patient Cannot Tell Us
Review
Summary
Section 3. Ethical and Legal Considerations
Ethical and Legal Considerations at End of Life
Impact of COVID-19 on End-of-Life Care
Life-Sustaining Measures
Resuscitation
Ethical Issues with Resuscitation and LSM
Key Considerations with Withdrawing LSM
Medically Administered Nutrition and Hydration
Thirst and Appetite at End of Life
Analgesic Use and Controlled Sedation
Hastened Death Request
Review
Summary
Section 4: Frequent Symptoms Associated with Imminent Death
Dignity-Conserving Care
Two Roads to Death
Signs and Symptoms of Imminent Death
Symptom Management at End of Life
Psychological Concerns
Spiritual and Cultural Considerations
The Importance of Spiritual Care
Nursing Interventions to Support Families
Consider the Environment
The Dying Child
The Dying Older Adult
Review
Summary
Section 5: Care Following Death
Care Following Death
Care and Respect of the Patient’s Body
Care of Self
Review
Summary
Section 6: Conclusion
Module Summary
Course Contributors
Resources
References
Subject Matter Expert: 2023 ELNEC Undergrad New Graduate Series
The content for this course was written by The ELNEC Project Team.
The ELNEC Project, which began in 2000, is a collaboration between City of Hope, Duarte, CA and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), Washington, DC. For more information about ELNEC, go to www.aacnnursing.org/ELNEC
The content for this course was revised by:
Andra Davis, PhD, MN, RN, Associate Professor and ELNEC Co-Investigator, School of Nursing and Health Innovations, University of Portland.
Dr. Davis has clinical expertise in oncology, palliative and hospice care. As nursing faculty at University of Portland School of Nursing and Health Innovations in Portland, Oregon, she teaches undergraduate, graduate, and Integrative Health and Wellness students. Her research expertise focuses in two areas: palliative care education and use of evidence-based guidelines in cancer symptom care. She is the co-investigator with the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) focused on supporting schools of nursing to advance palliative care education for undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Davis has a collaborative research partnership developing palliative care outcome measures for use in undergraduate nursing education. A ‘research hub’ housed at University of Portland was created for educators around the country to access these palliative care education evaluation measures and for ongoing psychometric evaluation of the tools.
Megan Lippe, PhD, MSN, RN, Associate Professor and ELNEC Co-Investigator, School of Nursing, UT Health San Antonio.
Dr. Megan Lippe is an Associate Professor with tenure and palliative care expert. She has been recognized as an emerging national leader for palliative nursing care education with published works in areas related to palliative care education, simulation, interprofessional education, and social justice. She is the co-lead of a research team evaluating implementation and outcomes for the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Undergraduate Curriculum. Dr. Lippe has been a registered nurse since 2009, and earned her BSN, MSN, and PhD degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. She taught at the UT Austin from 2011-2016 and the University of Alabama from 2016-2021. Dr. Lippe joined the faculty at UT Health San Antonio in the fall 2021. In collaboration with colleagues, Dr. Lippe has conducted multiple studies that have resulted in the creation of new quantitative measures to assess primary palliative care curriculum, self-competence, knowledge and competence for nursing students and entry-to-practice nurses. She has developed and tested multiple, high-fidelity, palliative care simulations and has worked as a simulation consultant and specialist. Dr. Lippe is a 2019 Cambia Sojourns and recipient of the 2017 ELNEC Award and 2019 Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association New Investigator Award.
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Course Delivery Method and Format
Asynchronous Distance Learning with interactivity which includes quizzes with questions/answers, and posttests.