Course
The Roles of a Hospice Nurse and Care Team
Contact Hours Awarded: 2.5
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Course Overview
Author: Maureen Sullivan-Tevault
RN, BSN, CEN, CDE
Modern medicine has not only prolonged living, but dying, too, especially for patients living with a chronic or terminal illness. Most of these patients will be diagnosed and live with their illness for a prolonged period of time before dying. The healthcare system, as we know it now, must adapt to this reality and offer alternative care models to support this patient population. While most people indicate that they would prefer to die at home, more than a fifth of patients still die in the hospital; this is the often-ignored area of end-of-life care on which we must focus our efforts.
A hospice nurse provides supportive care for terminally ill patients by assessing and evaluating their ongoing needs. Hospice nurses also provide support for both the patient and their family members by working closely with an interdisciplinary team of providers. This knowledge and skill set is essential in the delivery of quality hospice care, to diminish suffering as well as optimize comfort. Ongoing professional education for hospice nurses is essential to ensure that they are equally confident and knowledgeable in this delivery care model.
Course Outline
- Introduction
- End-of-Life Care in the U.S.
- Hospice Care and Medicare
- Palliative vs. Hospice Care
- Roles and Responsibilities of the Hospice Nurse and Care Team
- Living Wills and Durable Powers of Attorney
- Pain Management in Hospice
- Spiritual, Psychological, and Family Issues in Hospice Care
- Signs and Symptoms of an Actively Dying Patient
- Compassion Fatigue and Moral Distress in Healthcare Professionals
- Case Study
- Additional Resources for a Hospice Nurse
- References
Accreditation Statement
Nursing CE Central LLC is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
In this course we will discuss pertinent information that a hospice nurse should possess. It will take the average learner 150 minutes to complete.
Course Outcomes
After completing this course, the learner will rate 4 out of 5 on the Likert Scale for their ability to:
- Discuss the need for hospice care in the U.S. as it relates to the cost of medical care at the end-of-life stage.
- Discuss differences between palliative and hospice care.
- Verbalize understanding of the roles/responsibilities of the hospice nurse.
- Describe various spiritual, psychological, and family issues that a hospice nurse may experience while providing care.
- Discuss self-care practices for hospice providers at risk for compassion fatigue and/or moral distress.
Target Audience
- Registered Nurses (RN)
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN)
- Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN/LVN)
Requirement for Completion
- Enrollment in the course by the learner
- Read and learn all course materials
- Complete the course evaluation
- Attest and testify learning of the course materials
Accreditations + Approvals
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) (P0614)
- California Board of Registered Nursing (CEP 17418)
- Kentucky Board of Nursing (7-0090)
- Louisiana State Board of Nursing (58)
- New York State Department of Education (IC 208)
- Florida Board of Nursing (50-23983)
Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships
Nursing CE Central nor any of the authors, planners, content experts, or any contributors have any relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.
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Course Renewed on: June 19, 2024
Course Expires on: June 19, 2027
Course Offering: #90