Transcript title

Palliative Care Clinical

Credits

6

Grading mode

Pass/No Pass grades

Total contact hours

180

Other hours

180

Prerequisites

NUR 418.

Course Description

Capstone clinical experience focusing on end-of-life care. It gives students a comprehensive understanding of palliative care principles, including ethics and human rights, practices, interprofessional collaboration, and strategies to effectively care for patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families. This course aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge and compassionate approach to offer holistic care, symptom management, and emotional support during the end-of-life journey. P/NP grading.

Course learning outcomes

1. Integrate knowledge of symptom management, emotional support, and individualized care approaches to enhance quality of life for patients nearing the end of life.
2. Evaluate ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care, such as decisions regarding treatment options, advance directives, and patient autonomy, and propose solutions grounded in nursing ethics and human rights.
3. Engage in team-based care models, collaborating with physicians, social workers, and other healthcare professionals to develop and implement patient-centered palliative care plans.
4. Identify and address the psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual needs of families during the end-of-life process and offer resources and support tailored to their specific needs.\\n

Content outline

Capstone Activities: To be performed with their Capstone Mentor

1. In a clinical setting, students will work with palliative care patients to manage symptoms such as pain, dyspnea, and nausea. They will document their approach, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, and reflect on the effectiveness of the care provided.
2. Students will participate in a clinical ethics committee meeting or review a real-life ethical dilemma related to end-of-life care. They will analyze the case, consider the patient’s rights and the family’s wishes, and propose an ethically sound resolution.
3. Students will engage in an interprofessional team meeting. They will contribute to the development of a comprehensive care plan for a palliative care patient, demonstrating effective communication and collaboration with other healthcare professionals.
4. Students will assess the emotional and psychosocial needs of a family of a patient receiving palliative care. Based on their assessment, they will provide support resources such as grief counseling, spiritual care services, or social work interventions, and document the impact of these supports on the family’s well-being.

Required materials

No required textbook or materials.