End-of-Life Options and the Role of Social Workers

End-of-Life Options and the Role of Social Workers
(4 CEUs)

Instructor: Dr. Stan Taubman, LCSW, PhD

This introductory course addresses end-of-life options and planning/preparing for one’s own death or that of a loved one.

Format: Mixed-media 1 — Read online content that incorporates case vignettes, reader exercises, and web-based video clips.

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Course Agenda

1. Instructions
1. Pretest Instructions
2. Pretest
1. Course Overview
1. Print Posttest Study Guide
2. An Overview of End-of-Life Issues
3. Required Video: Dr. Peter Saul, MD, Let’s Talk About Dying (13:12 minutes)
4. Common Causes of Terminal Illness
5. Psychosocial Issues Commonly Associated with Terminal Illness
6. Issues Related to Patients’ Dependency on Others for Information
7. Case Vignette—Jack
1. Defining Features of Life-Sustaining Treatment
2. Potential Benefits and Limitations of Life-Sustaining Treatment
3. Required Video: Palliative Care in the ICU & End of Life Care Explained Clearly (8:37 minutes)
1. Defining Features of Palliative Care
2. Potential Benefits and Limitations of Palliative Care
3. Defining Features of Hospice Care
4. Potential Benefits and Limitations of Hospice Care
5. Optional Video: Types of Hospice Care Services (3:26 minutes)
6. Case Vignette—Susan
1. Defining Features of VSED
2. Potential Benefits and Limitations of VSED
3. Defining Features of MAID
4. Potential Benefits and Limitations of MAID
1. Vignette Description
2. Vignette Question
3. Vignette Discussion
1. Social Work Ethical Standards
2. Medical Ethical Standards
3. Required Video: FAQ—End of Life Planning (7:15 minutes)
4. Five Estate Planning Documents for Every Family
5. Defining Advance Directives
6. Considerations in Creating Advance Directives
7. Additional Documents Delineating Individuals’ Wishes
8. Advance Directives and California Service Providers’ Legal Obligations
9. Physician’s Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
10. Required Video: Conversations You Should Have But Don’t: End of Life Care (4:58 minutes)
1. The Three Stages of Shared Decision Making
2. Maintaining Professional Boundaries and Interprofessional Relationships
3. Working with Family Members and Other Collaterals
1. Summary and Conclusions
1. Related Resources
1. References
1. Posttest
1. Evaluation

About this course

$36.00
45 lessons

Course Details

Course Description

This introductory course addresses topics most Americans can find difficult to discuss, i.e., end-of-life options and planning/preparing for one’s own death or that of a loved one. While a number of social work and behavioral health professionals work in hospitals, assisted living facilities, hospice, and other settings where they are engaged with patients at the end of life, all practitioners will—at some point—work with clients or family members regarding end-of-life issues. Social workers who work primarily with clients at the end of their lives generally function as members of a multifaceted, multidisciplinary team that includes physicians, nurses, attorneys, and family members. Therefore, the course content examines the role of social workers in helping clients (and their loved ones) to review end-of-life options; plan, prepare, and make key decisions; and access pertinent resources. The information in this course can also be used to help social workers address issues related to the end-of-life preparation and planning for themselves or their loved ones. The content incorporates case vignettes, short web-based video clips, and web-based resources. To print the certificate of completion, the online posttest must be passed with a score of 80% of better.

Target Audience

The introductory course focused on end-of-life options is written for any social work practitioner who has worked or will work with clients who are at the end-stage of life (and their family members).

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, readers will be able to do the following:

Identify the major end-of-life options, including their potential benefits and limitations.
Identify the psychosocial issues and challenges facing older adults and people of any age who are facing the end-stage of life.
Identify the laws pertaining to end-of-life care decisions.
Identify the ethical issues guiding the practice of social workers serving those at the end-stage of life.

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