HLTH7702 · Nursing

Responding to Suffering in Serious Illness, Death, and Dying

Connell School of Nursing

This course focuses on improving the quality of life and care for individuals and families living with serious illness and at end of life. Emphasis is placed on recognizing and responding to suffering from an interdisciplinary perspective. Barriers and facilitators of effective care during serious illness, death and dying, such as social determinants of health, family dynamics, spiritual and cultural variations, are explored. Evidence-based interventions and strategies to address, manage, and alleviate physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and existential suffering across the lifespan are discussed. Established palliative care standards are utilized to evaluate outcomes within the context of interdisciplinary care.