Advanced Communication Skills in End-of-Life Care

Rowans Hospice Advanced Communication Skills in End-of-Life Care is a two-day face to face experiential CPD course for clinicians who undertake complex conversations with patients and families affected by serious illness, deterioration, dying and bereavement. In addition, it includes a half day online reflection and follow-up session.

The course will support doctors, senior nurses and other experienced clinicians (AHP’s) to develop greater confidence and skill in:

• initiating timely conversations about deterioration, uncertainty, future planning and what matters most
• recognising and responding to emotional cues, distress, anger, withdrawal and avoidance
• giving difficult information clearly and compassionately offering different tools/approaches
• responding to difficult questions about prognosis, dying, suffering, treatment decisions and future care
• exploring common psychological responses in end-of-life care, including grief, anxiety, depression, panic, total pain and existential distress
• using psychological screening and identification of further assessment or referral
• management of family conflict, collusion, unrealistic expectations and differing levels of understanding
• maintaining professional boundaries, balanced empathy and compassionate presence in emotionally intense situations
• using supervision, grounding and reflective practice to sustain safe, effective clinical communication