Introduction

This module will enhance your decision making skills in end of life care so developing intellectual potential, critical reflection and clinical reasoning skills and improve ability to evaluate and enhance practice. The focus on the decision making needs of patients and other service users in end of life care settings will work towards promoting individualised compassionate patient-centred care. This is an evolving module which will reflect philosophical, political, ethical and legal developments and where you will be encouraged to evaluate practice alongside the latest guidance and theoretical frameworks. The module will facilitate the development of an in-depth critical approach to the evaluation of contemporary issues relevant to your practice. These will include the concepts of hope and spirituality, advance care planning, issues relating to dying and support for carers.

Who the module is aimed at 

Health Care professionals - for example Nurses, Physiotherapists, Doctors, Therapy Radiographers, Speech Therapists, Social Workers and Chaplains.

Benefits of taking the module to the individual, the organisation and the patient

• The module will enhance your decision making skills in end of life care so developing intellectual potential, critical reflection and clinical reasoning skills. This is aimed to improve your ability to evaluate and enhance practice.
• The focus on the decision making needs of patients and other service users in end of life care settings will work towards promoting individualised compassionate patient-centred care in your own clinical setting and you will be encouraged to evaluate practice alongside the latest guidance and theoretical frameworks.

What you learn 

The overall aim of this module is to aid your professional development in end of life care by introducing and updating your knowledge and understanding of decision making in relation to principles and philosophies that influence practice. The emphasis of this module is on exploring current issues that face practitioners and you will be encouraged to evaluate current practice alongside ethical and theoretical frameworks.

General areas covered  

• Principles of supportive, palliative and end of life care
• Current policy & guidelines for practice relating to end of life
• End of life decision-making including advance care planning, advanced decisions to refuse treatment, lasting power of attorney
• Concepts of Hope, Compassion, Spirituality
• Ethical theory and application to clinical practice

Skills gained for the workplace, technical skills or academic skills 

The module will facilitate the development of an in-depth critical approach to the evaluation of contemporary issues relevant to your practice.

Unique or interesting features

Via the online learning environment of Blackboard, you will be supplied with a wide range of online resources and materials covering the content of the module. This will include PowerPoint presentations, links to websites and articles and video clips of patient and carer experiences. It is an interactive module enabling you to engage with the tutors and other students, sharing ideas and learning from each other e.g. by the completion of formative tasks (e-tivities). The module leader will be available via discussion boards, email or telephone contact to respond to queries and offer support throughout the module.

To study this distance learning module you will require access to a computer with

• a reliable internet connection
• Microsoft or Apple Mac Supported Office Software
• the current version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox

Fees and Funding for 2023/24

Further details

For further information please contact the module leader Heather Drury-Smith - h.drury-smith@shu.ac.uk or contact the student experience team:

AlliedHealth@shu.ac.uk

Related course(s)

• MSc Prostate Cancer Care
• MSc Supportive, Palliative and End of Life Care