NUR126 - Dying with Dignity (1.0 HR)
Healthcare providers will place an emphasis on each terminally ill patient’s uniqueness that tends to preserve their sense of dignity.
Purpose: The purpose of this course is to…
… place an emphasis on each terminally ill patient’s uniqueness that tends to preserve their sense of dignity. How patients perceive themselves is a powerful indicator of their dignity. The literature suggests that for the nurse/healthcare professional to affirm this unique dignity value, rather than just focusing on the illness continuum, the more likely the person’s sense of worth and dignity will be upheld. When the preservation of dignity becomes a clear goal, care options expand beyond the symptom management paradigm and include psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of the patient’s unique terminal experience.
Objectives: At the end of this course, the learner will…
1. Formulate an understanding of the history of end-of-life care and future directions.
2. Develop an operational definition of “dignity” and “dying with dignity” and its unique meaning for patients, families and nursing professionals.
3. Assess factors necessary for preserving dignity at the end-of-life.
4. Systematize nursing practice in dying with dignity at the end-of-life by being accountable for professional nursing practice guidelines as set out by the American Nurses Association.
5. Appraise the precepts underlying end-of-life care developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in accordance with the International Council of Nurses.
6. Identify the three major categories of “The Dignity Model” that emerged from a study of dying patients’ perceptions of their own sense of dignity.
7. Articulate the A, B, C and D’s of Dignity Conserving Care as put forward in the literature.
8. Provide evidence-based recommendations for nurses on best nursing practices for end-of-life care.
9. Formulate two nursing interventions that promote the phenomenon of dignified dying.
10. Reflect upon your personal feelings and attitudes about dying with dignity.
Continuing Education Credits: 1.0 contact hours Iowa BON #335; 1.0 contact hours CA Board of Nursing CEP 14033; 1.0 contact hours CE Broker # 50-4572 Florida and District of Columbia; 1.0 contact hours for Social Work State of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. License No. 159.001315; 0 contact hours for Physical Therapy State of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. License No. 216.000284; 0 contact hours for Occupational Therapy State of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. License No. 224.000164; 1.0 CE hours for certified nursing assistants; long term care department heads; and other health care disciplines.