Foundations in Palliative and End of Life Care for HCA's

Content

Definitions of Palliative and End of Life Care

Communication skills

Advance Care Planning

Spirituality

Recognising dying

Symptoms at the end of life

Skin integrity

Oral hygiene

Nutrition and Hydration

Care after death

Reflection

Aims and Outcomes

At the end of the course, participants will be able to -

• Describe what palliative and end of life care is and how it relates to their current role
• Develop communication skills which will aid compassionate care of the patient and those important to them.
• Understand what advance care planning is and how they might contribute to this
• Understand the significance of assessing spiritual needs to promote holistic care
• List the common signs which indicate a patient is actively dying
• Have an awareness of the 5 most common symptoms at the end of life and the non-pharmacological management of these
• Understand the importance of good oral hygiene at the end of life and how this can be achieved
• Understand the potential skin changes in the dying patient
• Understand why the need for food and drink diminishes in the last few days of life
• List own responsibilities in relation to promoting dignified care after death
• Reflect on own practice and identify learning which will assist in implementing change within their workplace