Facing Death, Patients, Families and Professionals

Advance your skills in the social and psychological aspects of dying, loss and bereavement. Gain insights into the needs of patients facing death, their families and professional carers. Link these needs to theories of communication and counselling. Explore the ethical, psychological and spiritual frameworks relating to palliative and end of life care.

This course offers a detailed insight into the needs of patients facing death, as well as their families and the professionals providing their care. Throughout the course are threaded the 6 Cs: care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment.

You’ll consider loss and bereavement, examine the challenges faced by families (including children), and explore the dynamics of the patient/family relationship network. You’ll look at the impact of loss on patients, families and professional carers, and link this to counselling theory and communication skills. You’ll learn about diversity in palliative and end of life care, as well as the ethical, psychological and spiritual frameworks.

The recent publications ‘One Chance to Get it Right’ (Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People, 2014) based on the five new priorities for care will inform the course content.

Course Content

• How psychological, socio-cultural and spiritual features impact on care
• Critical reflection of practice
• Ethics and values
• Underpinning theory and its application to practice
• Effective communication