PALL8431 Communication at the End of Life B

This topic extends and deepens exploration of the concepts introduced in previous topics through a focus on:

• Development of professional communication skills in complex situations, including working with difficult feelings such as anger, fear and anxiety
• Working with families dealing with difficult situations and aspects of family dynamics in palliative care contexts
• Complexities of grief including grief of children, disenfranchised grief and gender based issues
• The concept of healthy teamwork within the model of interdisciplinary teams and self care for health care professionals in challenging circumstances
• The development of negotiation and communication skills required in the coordination of multidisciplinary care and during transitions of care in a palliative setting

This topic aims to:

• Explore the dynamics of "difficult feelings", such as anger and fear, and ways of working with people experiencing these feelings
• Examine common family dynamics when a family member has a life-threatening condition and principles for professional involvement in these situations
• Provide opportunities for students to apply knowledge of communication skills and ways of working with "difficult feelings" and "difficult families" to case-studies, simulated clinical encounters via videotaping and to share learning's via online discussions with fellow students
• Introduce the particular issues of "complicated" grief; this includes exploration of grief and children, "disenfranchised grief" and related gender based issues
• Discuss the concept of healthy teamwork within the model of interdisciplinary teams, self care for health care professionals in challenging circumstances, and the role of professional boundaries in the therapeutic relationship and their importance and implications for practice
• Develop skills required in the coordination of multidisciplinary care and case conferencing

1. Identify and discuss the dynamics of "difficult feelings" within palliative care scenarios and models of working with these feelings in practice
2. Identify and discuss common family dynamics when a family member has a life-threatening condition and apply the principles of professional involvement
3. Further hone their own communication skills in working with people with "difficult feelings", "difficult families" and the introduction of sensitive topics such as sexuality
4. Identify grief issues that are particular to specific groups, such as grief in children, marginalised groups and gender based issues in grief
5. Apply theory to managing situations of "complicated grief" via case-studies and critiquing transcripts of clinical encounters
6. Develop skills in communication required to negotiate the challenges of transitions of care for patients, this will include coordination of family meetings and/or case conferences
7. Identify and be able to implement strategies for facilitating self care for health professionals working with palliative patients and families at individual, team and system levels, and be able to articulate this in relation to their own working environment and professional practice