Course open – Free access to attendees at IAPCON 2025 for Jan-Feb 2025 – contact us for details
Note: Hospices – free access – Support from Marie Curie’s ‘Research Impact’ funding means that some free places for hospice staff are currently available – contact us for details (see contact button on menu bar)
Purchase as an individual or organisations can buy group access at reduced rates, see here for details.
This course is designed to help healthcare professionals to provide good end-of-life care for patients who lack capacity to make decisions about their own life-sustaining treatment. If focuses on people in PDoC following acquired brain injuries, but is also relevant to other patients. It is especially focussed around the discontinuation of life-sustaining treatments such as clinically-assisted nutrition and hydration. It also provides guidance for the support of families, and of staff. The course is relevant to anyone working in hospices, hospitals, rehabilitation centres or care homes.
Delivery: entirely online
Study time: Core course take around 3 hours. Designed to study at your own pace, at times that suit you.
Note: For students seeking additional, advanced, learning there are clearly indicated, optional, CPD portfolio exercises.
Assessment: self-assessment quizzes & reflection; auto-generated CPD certificate on completion.
Cost: £40
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course you will be able to:
- outline key principles of end-of-life care and recognise when it is important to discuss palliative options alongside decisions about life-sustaining treatment
- identify clinical issues in the care of PDoC patients following the discontinuation of Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration [CANH]
- recognise the need to develop an appropriate palliative care plan and know where to find relevant clinical guidelines
- reflect on specific ethical, clinical, social and practical concerns in relation to CANH
- identify some of the issues that might impact on you personally, or for other team member, and reflect on ways of supporting each other
- summarise common ideas about how a patient might die if CANH is discontinued and identify key information and support needs (for yourself, your colleagues and for families)
- outline research findings into family experiences of witnessing the dying process following such treatment being discontinued
- provide relevant information to families and point to key resources for family and friends.
Optional CPD exercises for advanced learning additional to the core corse
There are optional CPD exercises for learners who want additional learning and have more time to study. These exercises offer the opportunity to:
- develop a draft palliative care plan in line with PDoC guidelines about clinical management (Unit 2.3);
- map out a strategy to enhance staff support in your organisation around end-of-life care (Unit 3.4);
- review a research article about family concerns and devise a plan to enhance family support (Unit 4.1);
- focus on legal and best interests issues around the timing of treatment withdrawal (Unit 4.8);
- engage in depth with legal and philosophical debates about ethics, human rights and dignity (Unit 4.9).
- Individuals: use the ‘buy now’ button above & set up your student account (The ‘username’ you choose will display in learner chat). If your organisation has given you a coupon code this is how you use that.
- Organisations can purchase all round access to courses and multiple places at reduced rates, contact us for details.
Free places for family members: these courses are designed for healthcare professionals but some families/friends of PDoC patients have found them useful. We offer free places to anyone with a loved one in PDoC – just email Jenny and she will sort out access (see ‘Contact’ button).