A novel interprofessional approach to end-of-life care education: A pilot study. Issue 6 (3rd November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sinha, Pranay; Murphy, Susan Perrin; Becker, Chelsea Marie; Poarch, Hunter Jameson; Gade, Kristine Elizabeth; Wolf, Alexander Thomas; Martindale, James Robert; Owen, John Alexander; Brashers, Valentina
• Is Part Of: Journal of interprofessional care. Volume 29:Issue 6(2015)
• Page Start: 643
• Page End: 645
• Publication Date: 2015-11-03
• Subjects: Education -- end-of-life care -- hospice -- interprofessional nursing education -- palliative care -- undergraduate medical education; Holistic medicine -- Periodicals; Interprofessional relations -- Periodicals; Health care teams -- Periodicals; 361
• DOI: 10.3109/13561820.2015.1041585
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1356-1820

Abstract

Abstract: Navigating the biomedical, emotional, and logistical complexity of end-of-life (EOL) care requires seamless interprofessional teamwork. Unfortunately, EOL care, interprofessional collaboration, and the role of support services such as hospice are not adequately emphasized in nursing and medical curricula. This article describes a student-run program, entitled the "HeArt of Medicine", which was designed to foster a reflective and collaborative approach to EOL care. The program consists of three workshops with a novel blend of art, science, and practical information, highlighting the need for interprofessional teamwork. Participants were surveyed before and after the workshops on their attitudes toward EOL care. Composite participant scores after workshops demonstrated increased comfort with and knowledge of EOL care topics (p = 0.001). The results show that this program has had a positive impact on participants' knowledge, comfort, and collaboration in EOL settings.