Exploring the New Orientation to End-of-Life Care Modules
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A blog written by Vanessa Heading, Project Manager, End-of-Life Essentials, Flinders University
Navigating the delivery of end-of-life care in acute hospital settings is a challenge that requires health professionals to demonstrate knowledge, skill and sensitivity. To support healthcare professionals in this critical aspect of patient care, End-of-Life Essentials have created a new Orientation to End-of-Life Care module category.
By reviewing past learner activity, we identified which End-of-Life Essentials modules were most utilised across various professional groups, including doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals.
This review, combined with a refresh of the learning outcomes, led to the grouping of four key ‘Orientation to End-of-Life Care’ modules:
- Dying: A Normal Part of Life
- Recognising the End-of-Life
- Imminent Death
- Communication and Decision-Making.
These modules aim to bolster the necessary core skills of health professionals to provide compassionate and effective end-of-life care. They focus on essentials elements such as:
- recognising when a patient is nearing the end of life;
- understanding the complexities of dying in a hospital setting; and
- communicating with patients, and their families, about their end-of-life.
Initial feedback of this new module category has been overwhelmingly positive. Health services appreciate the clear, structured education package that supports the workforce development and provides health professionals with a professional development pathway.
The modules are designed to strengthen knowledge, skills, and confidence, helping professionals initiate, manage and discuss end-of-life care more effectively.
Since its inception in 2016, End-of-Life Essentials has made a significant impact and reach across Australia, with over 38,000 learner registrations and nearly 100,000 module completions to date.
Our commitment to improving end-of-life care is reflected in our alignment with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care’s National Consensus Statement – Essentials elements for safe and high quality end-of-life care.
As End-of-Life Essentials enters a new phase, we’re expanding and enhancing our resources to better support health services. We’re excited about these changes and look forward to continuing to support healthcare professionals in delivering compassionate, high-quality end-of-life care.
If you or your colleagues want to have a better understanding of end-of-life care, the End-of-Life Essentials ‘Orientation to End-of-Life Care’ can assist.
Vanessa Heading
Project Manager
End-of-Life Essentials