Palliative Care and Pain Management at the End of Life
Course Overview
This course is designed to bridge the gap in knowledge of palliative care by providing an overview of the concept of palliative care and a discussion of the benefits and barriers to optimum palliative care at the end of life. Central to this discussion is an emphasis on the importance of talking to patients about the value of palliative care, of clearly presenting the prognosis and appropriate treatment options and goals, and of ensuring that advance planning is completed. The majority of the course focuses on the assessment and management of the most common end-of-life symptoms, with particular attention to pain, the most prevalent, as well as the most distressing, physical symptom. Psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient and family are also discussed. Palliative care presents unique challenges for some patient populations, most notably older patients, children/adolescents, and patients receiving critical care. An overview of the most important issues specific to these settings is provided.
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
- Describe how the definition of palliative care has evolved.
- Define the structure of palliative care delivery, including models of care and the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
- List the benefits of palliative care at the end of life.
- Anticipate the barriers to optimum delivery of palliative care through hospice.
- Effectively engage the components of communication and decision making for end-of-life care.
- Identify the common concerns and symptoms at the end of life for patients with life-limiting diseases.
- Discuss the barriers to effective relief of pain at the end of life.
- Assess pain accurately through use of clinical tools and other strategies.
- Select appropriate pharmacologic and/or non- pharmacologic therapies to manage pain in patients during the end-of-life period.
- Assess and manage the most common symptoms (other than pain) experienced by patients during the end-of-life period.
- Evaluate the psychosocial needs of patients at the end of life and their families and provide appropriate treatment or referral.
- Recognize and address the spiritual needs of patients at the end of life and provide appropriate treatment or referral.
- Develop a strategy for providing care to patients and their families over the last days and hours of life.
- Support appropriate grief and mourning.
- Explain the specific challenges and ethical considerations in delivering optimum palliative care to older patients, children, and patients in critical care settings.
About the Author/Presenter
John M. Leonard, MD, Professor of Medicine Emeritus, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, completed his post-graduate clinical training at the Yale and Vanderbilt University Medical Centers before joining the Vanderbilt faculty in 1974. He is a clinician-educator and for many years served as director of residency training and student educational programs for the Vanderbilt University Department of Medicine. Over a career span of 40 years, Dr. Leonard conducted an active practice of general internal medicine and an inpatient consulting practice of infectious diseases.
Audience/Accreditations and Approvals
TRC Healthcare/ NetCE
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by TRC Healthcare/ NetCE. TRC Healthcare/NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details):
Counselor, Dental AGD Code: 149, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physician, Psychology, Social Work
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