End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium-Geriatric - Promoting Palliative Care in Geriatric Nursing
Nurses are involved in all aspects of end-of-life care and they address the myriad of needs facing individuals at this time of life. Nurses have the potential to greatly reduce the burden of distress of those facing life’s end and the ability to offer support for the many physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of geriatric patients, long-term care residents, and their families.
Nurses with training in the care of geriatric patients at the end of life, individually and collectively, have the unique opportunity to significantly impact the quality of care for terminally ill patients.
The ELNEC-Geriatric curriculum was developed to meet the special needs of patients and families facing end-of-life across various geriatric settings. The principal goal of the training program is to provide current information on end-of-life care and resources to integrate end-of-life content into geriatric care, whether a patient is receiving care at home or in long-term care, and nursing home settings. The ELNEC-Geriatric curriculum is a national nursing education initiative administered by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and City of Hope in California.
The ELNEC-Geriatric Course for this Training contains seven modules addressing critical aspects of end-of-life care and the role of the nurse and other healthcare providers. These modules include:
- Palliative Care in Geriatric Nursing
- Pain Assessment and Management
- Non-Pain Symptom Management
- Communication
- Final Hours
- Loss, Grief, and Bereavement
- Cultural and Spiritual Considerations
The ELNEC-Geriatric curriculum also includes several common threads integrated throughout. These major themes are:
- The important role of the Geriatric Nurse and any Nurse as an advocate for geriatric patients.
- The critical need for attention to special populations such as the elderly, children, and the uninsured.
- End-of-Life issues impact all systems of care across all geriatric care settings.
- Critical financial issues influence end-of-life care.
- End-of-Life care is essential across all life-threatening illnesses and in cases of sudden death.
Some Objectives that will be covered:
- Describe the role of the nurse and other members of the health care team in providing quality palliative care for elderly patients and residents in long-term care facilities, nursing homes, and other geriatric care settings.
- List components of a thorough pain assessment geared towards geriatric patients and residents of long-term care facilities.
- Discuss dilemmas that may arise in end-of-life/palliative care in geriatric care.
- Identify dimensions of culture and the influence of cultural and spiritual beliefs on palliative care for geriatric patients.
- Identify three factors that influence communication in geriatric care.
- Assess physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs and interventions for an imminently dying older adult and their family.
- Verbalize an understanding of grief and loss issues as they relate to complex or traumatic circumstances.
Who Should Attend?
- All Registered Nurses
- Nursing Faculty
- Advanced Practice Nurses
- Case Managers
- Social Workers
- Chaplains
- LTCF Administration
- Nurse Administrators
What is Provided:
- 7 CEs for participants who stay for the entire course
- An ELNEC Geriatric Certificate of Attendance for participants who stay for the entire course
- Breakfast and Lunch will be provided