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Psychosocial and Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care

Regina Fink, Kelly Arora, Amos Bailey, Maurice Scott, and Nancy Robertson

In this course, you’ll learn how serious and life-threatening illnesses often affect emotional and spiritual well-being. Illnesses can increase stress as patients and families learn to live with a “new normal” that may often focus on illness. You’ll learn how to tell when normal sadness (or grief) becomes something more serious and needs to be addressed. People with serious illnesses also have social concerns as their family, friends and community support system becomes stretched, and sometimes fails. We’ll talk about resources and skills you can use to help support patients and families. You’ll learn about advance care planning, that includes shared decision-making, setting goals of care, and writing down plans for care.

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Syllabus

Introduction to Common Psycho-Social-Spiritual Concerns

In this course, you’ll learn how serious and life-threatening illnesses can affect emotional and spiritual well-being and increase stress on the patient's support network. We’ll talk about resources and skills you can use to help support patients and families. You’ll also learn about advance care planning, which includes shared decision-making, setting goals of care, and writing down plans for care.

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Well-suited for social and healthcare professionals helping individuals facing life-threatening illness

Covers topics highly relevant to social work, nursing, and medical practice

Provides a practical foundation for supporting patients and families dealing with serious illnesses

Taught by experienced instructors with expertise in palliative care and end-of-life care

Covers advanced care planning and shared decision-making, crucial topics in end-of-life care

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Reviews summary

Psychosocial and spiritual palliative care

According to learners who have shared their feedback, this course delves into the emotional and spiritual aspects of serious illness and palliative care. Students have commented on the sensitivity and importance of the topics covered, such as navigating grief, anxiety, and spiritual distress. While review volume and detail vary, the material is seen as relevant for both professionals and caregivers. The course aims to equip learners with practical skills for supporting patients and families and understanding advance care planning. Specific feedback on the lectures and readings and their practical utility is noted by reviewers.

Content helps differentiate complex emotional states.

"The module on distinguishing normal grief from depression or demoralization was very clear and useful."

"Gave me new perspectives on supporting patients' spiritual needs respectfully."

"I gained a better understanding of how illness impacts the entire support network, not just the patient."

"The examples and case studies helped illustrate the concepts well."

Offers practical guidance on support and ACP.

"The section on advance care planning and goals of care was incredibly helpful and practical."

"I learned specific skills for having difficult conversations with patients and their families."

"Provides valuable resources and strategies for supporting those facing serious illness."

"This course helped me understand my role in shared decision making more clearly."

Course covers crucial and emotionally sensitive areas.

"The information provided is very relevant to anyone dealing with serious illness, either personally or professionally."

"I appreciate the sensitive way challenging topics like grief and end-of-life anxiety were handled."

"Understanding the spiritual aspects separate from religion was particularly insightful."

"This material is so important for providing truly holistic palliative care."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Psychosocial and Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care with these activities:

Review commonly experienced psychosocial concerns in end of life care

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This exercise will help you recall the psychosocial concerns that commonly arise in end of life care, which will better prepare you for the material in the lectures.

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Read over the course syllabus and make a list of psychosocial concerns that are likely to arise in end of life care.
Review your existing notes, books, or online resources on this topic.
Discuss with a classmate or colleague the psychosocial concerns that you have identified.

Practice identifying normal grief vs. complicated grief

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This activity will help you develop the skills needed to identify normal grief and complicated grief, which will improve your ability to support patients and families in end of life care.

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Review the different criteria for normal grief and complicated grief.
Complete practice exercises that require you to identify normal grief vs. complicated grief.
Discuss your findings with a classmate or colleague.

Learn about spiritual distress in end of life care

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This activity will help you understand spiritual distress and how to support patients and families in end of life care.

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Find and watch a video tutorial on spiritual distress in end of life care.
Read an article or book chapter on this topic.
Discuss your findings with a classmate or colleague.

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Develop an advance care plan

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This project will help you apply the principles of advance care planning to your own life.

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Research advance care planning.
Identify your values and goals for end of life care.
Complete an advance directive.
Share your advance care plan with your loved ones and healthcare providers.

Read 'Being Mortal' by Atul Gawande

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of end of life care, and will help you to better understand the challenges and opportunities that arise in this field.

View Being Mortal on Amazon

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Purchase or borrow a copy of 'Being Mortal'.
Read the book in its entirety.
Take notes on the key points and insights that you gain from the book.

Volunteer at a hospice or palliative care organization

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This activity will provide you with hands-on experience in end of life care, which will deepen your understanding of the material in the course.

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Contact a hospice or palliative care organization and inquire about volunteer opportunities.
Complete the necessary training and background checks.
Begin volunteering on a regular basis.

Attend a workshop on end of life care

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This workshop will provide you with an opportunity to learn from experts in the field of end of life care, and to network with other professionals who are working in this area.

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Research upcoming workshops on end of life care.
Register for a workshop that interests you.
Attend the workshop and participate actively in the discussions.

Mentor a student or colleague who is new to end of life care

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This activity will give you an opportunity to share your knowledge and experience in end of life care, while also helping to support the development of a new professional in this field.

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Identify a student or colleague who is new to end of life care.
Offer to mentor them and provide them with guidance and support.
Meet with your mentee regularly to discuss their progress and challenges.

Career center

Learners who complete Psychosocial and Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Hospice Social Worker

Hospice social workers provide psychosocial support to terminally ill patients and their families. This course can be useful to hospice social workers as it provides an in-depth understanding of the emotional and spiritual challenges that patients and families face during serious illness. The course also covers topics such as advance care planning, shared decision-making, and coping with grief and loss, all of which are important skills for hospice social workers to have.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hospice Social Worker

Palliative Care Nurse

Palliative care nurses provide care to patients with serious illnesses, with a focus on improving their quality of life. This course can be useful to palliative care nurses as it provides an in-depth understanding of the emotional and spiritual needs of patients with serious illnesses. The course also covers topics such as pain management, symptom management, and communication with patients and families, all of which are important skills for palliative care nurses to have.

See salaries and explore the career path for Palliative Care Nurse

Chaplain

Chaplains provide spiritual support to patients and families in hospitals, hospices, and other healthcare settings. This course can be useful to chaplains as it provides an in-depth understanding of the spiritual needs of patients and families during serious illness. The course also covers topics such as interfaith dialogue, grief and loss counseling, and ethical issues in healthcare, all of which are important skills for chaplains to have.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chaplain

Grief Counselor

Grief counselors help people to cope with the loss of a loved one. This course can be useful to grief counselors as it provides an in-depth understanding of the grieving process. The course also covers topics such as grief counseling techniques, self-care for grief counselors, and ethical issues in grief counseling, all of which are important skills for grief counselors to have.

See salaries and explore the career path for Grief Counselor

Social Worker

Social workers provide social and emotional support to people in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, and mental health clinics. This course may be useful to social workers as it provides an in-depth understanding of the emotional and social challenges that people face during serious illness. The course also covers topics such as crisis intervention, case management, and resource utilization, all of which are important skills for social workers to have.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Worker

Marriage and Family Therapist

Marriage and family therapists help couples and families to improve their relationships. This course may be useful to marriage and family therapists as it provides an in-depth understanding of the emotional and relational challenges that couples and families face during serious illness. The course also covers topics such as communication skills, conflict resolution, and family dynamics, all of which are important skills for marriage and family therapists to have.

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Psychologist

Psychologists provide psychological assessment, diagnosis, and treatment to people with mental health disorders. This course may be useful to psychologists as it provides an in-depth understanding of the psychological challenges that people face during serious illness. The course also covers topics such as psychological assessment, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and psychopharmacology, all of which are important skills for psychologists to have.

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Psychiatrist

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. This course may be useful to psychiatrists as it provides an in-depth understanding of the psychiatric challenges that people face during serious illness. The course also covers topics such as psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and brain imaging, all of which are important skills for psychiatrists to have.

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Physician Assistant

Physician assistants provide medical care to patients under the supervision of a physician. This course may be useful to physician assistants as it provides an in-depth understanding of the medical and psychosocial challenges that patients face during serious illness. The course also covers topics such as physical examination, diagnosis, and treatment, all of which are important skills for physician assistants to have.

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Registered Nurse

Registered nurses provide nursing care to patients in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and homes. This course may be useful to registered nurses as it provides an in-depth understanding of the nursing care needs of patients with serious illnesses. The course also covers topics such as pain management, symptom management, and patient education, all of which are important skills for registered nurses to have.

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Certified Nursing Assistant

Certified nursing assistants provide basic nursing care to patients in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and homes. This course may be useful to certified nursing assistants as it provides an in-depth understanding of the basic nursing care needs of patients with serious illnesses. The course also covers topics such as bathing, dressing, and feeding, all of which are important skills for certified nursing assistants to have.

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Medical Assistant

Medical assistants perform a variety of administrative and clinical tasks in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices. This course may be useful to medical assistants as it provides an in-depth understanding of the administrative and clinical tasks that are involved in the care of patients with serious illnesses. The course also covers topics such as medical terminology, medical insurance, and patient billing, all of which are important skills for medical assistants to have.

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Patient Care Technician

Patient care technicians provide basic patient care under the supervision of a nurse or doctor. This course may be useful to patient care technicians as it provides an in-depth understanding of the basic patient care needs of patients with serious illnesses. The course also covers topics such as vital signs monitoring, medication administration, and wound care, all of which are important skills for patient care technicians to have.

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Home Health Aide

Home health aides provide basic care to patients in their homes. This course may be useful to home health aides as it provides an in-depth understanding of the basic care needs of patients with serious illnesses. The course also covers topics such as bathing, dressing, and feeding, all of which are important skills for home health aides to have.

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Direct Support Professional

Direct support professionals provide support to people with disabilities in a variety of settings, including homes, schools, and workplaces. This course may be useful to direct support professionals as it provides an in-depth understanding of the psychosocial challenges that people with disabilities face during serious illness. The course also covers topics such as communication skills, behavior management, and crisis intervention, all of which are important skills for direct support professionals to have.

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Reading list

We've selected nine books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Psychosocial and Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care.

Being Mortal

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A Pulitzer Prize-winning exploration of mortality, this book examines the current state of end-of-life care and offers thought-provoking insights on the importance of patient-centered approach.

Psychosocial and Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care

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What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Psychosocial and spiritual palliative care

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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