The aim of The Myton Hospices Essentials of End of Life Care Programme is to equip learners with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide effective, safe and compassionate care to individuals approaching the end of their lives, and support those important to them. It is available to all health and social care providers in Warwickshire.
Programme Content...
Workshop One: Advance Care Planning and Communication...
- Anticipatory Care Planning for people in care homes or their own home – utilising evidence-based and current tools such as the REDMAP Framework, SPICT™ tool and the ReSPECT plan.
- Having meaningful and realistic conversations with an individual, or those closest to them, around their goals and preferences for their future care – maintaining a person-centred approach.
- Communication skills will be taught, using a variety of interactive training methods; highlighting the need for sensitive communication in palliative and end of life care.
Workshop Two: Recognising and Planning for Deterioration and Dying...
- Developing participants skills, to enable them to confidently identify; reversible and non-reversible symptoms and common conditions in palliative and end of life care.
- Identifying the signs associated with the approach of end of life.
- Providing non-pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical symptom relief using the principles of symptom management. Assessing the impact of symptoms on a person and those closest to them, using a holistic approach.
- Recognising when to refer to specialist services and when an unnecessary hospital admission may be avoided. Offering guidance on the available specialist support in and out of hours.
Workshop Three: Care in the Last Days of Life; Support After Death and The Importance of Self-Care...
- Providing safe, effective and holistic care, focusing on the spiritual, psychological, social and physical domains of the person that is actively dying and those closest to them.
- Anticipatory medications – ensuring a dignified and peaceful death by managing terminal symptoms such as agitation, overwhelming distress, respiratory secretions, breathlessness and fear.
- Alerting community colleagues where appropriate, to administer medication and provide support.
- Cultural and religious customs and beliefs at the end of life, and after death.
- Self-care and reflection following a distressing death.