ELNEC Critical Care: Train-the-Trainer Course (End of Life Nursing Education Consortium)

Designed for healthcare clinicians working in primary palliative care provision for patients and families facing critical or serious illness, the content is also relevant for anyone working in acute care settings where life-threatening illness is diagnosed or treated. Gain an understanding of the curriculum as well as teaching and learning strategies. Ongoing support following the class can help new trainers successfully plan and implement their own use of the ELNEC Critical Care curriculum.

At a glance

What: ELNEC Critical Care: Train-the-Trainer
When: Tue-Wed, May 16-17, 8:30am-4:30pm
Where: Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Ave., Madison, WI
Cost: $795
Continuing education credit: 13 hours (1.3 CEUs). Additional hours optional.

Instructors:

Beth Fahlberg, PHD
Cassie Shumway

Register Online

or register by phone at 608-262-2451
Register anytime
For additional information, contact Beth Fahlberg, PHD: 608-890-3628

Learning objectives for Train-the-Trainer

This program will enable the learner to:

Describe the role of the nurse as an interdisciplinary team member and leader in palliative care provision for patients and families facing life-threatening or end-of-life situations in the acute/critical care settings.

Discuss aspects of assessing and intervening to promote physiological, psychological, social, and spiritual quality of life for patients and families facing a life-threatening illness or event.

Identify strategies to address cultural considerations, ethical issues, loss, grief, and self-care in the care of patients and families facing life-threatening or end-of-life situations in acute/critical care.

Implement teaching and learning strategies appropriate to the ELNEC Critical Care curriculum.

Develop a plan for using the ELNEC Critical Care curriculum.

ELNEC – Critical Care modules

Module 1: Palliative Care in Critical Care Nursing

Module 2: Pain Management

Module 3: Symptom Management

Module 4: Ethical Issues in Critical Care Nursing

Module 5: Cultural Considerations

Module 6: Communication

Module 7: Loss, Grief, and Bereavement

Module 8: Final Hours of Life

ELNEC – Critical Care themes

The important role of the Critical Care Nurse as advocate

The family as the unit of care

The importance of culture as an influence at the end of life

The critical need for attention to special populations such as children, the elderly, the poor, and the uninsured

End-of-life/palliative care issues impact all systems of care across all critical-care settings

Critical financial issues influence end-of-life/palliative care

End-of-life/palliative care is not confined only to cancer or AIDS, but rather it is essential across all life-threatening illnesses and in cases of sudden death

Interdisciplinary care is essential for quality care at the end of life

About the ELNEC Project

The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Project is a national end-of-life educational program administered by City of Hope (COH) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) designed to enhance palliative care in nursing. The ELNEC Project was originally funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Additional funding has been received from the Cambia, Millbank, Oncology Nursing, Open Society, Aetna, Archstone, California HealthCare Foundations, National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Materials are copyrighted by COH and AACN and are used with permission. Further information about the ELNEC Project can be found at aacn.nche.edu/ELNEC.

For questions about the Critical Care Curriculum, contact instructor and program director Beth Fahlberg at beth.fahlberg@wisc.edu or 608-890-3628

Meet your instructors

Beth Fahlberg (PhD, RN, CHPN, AGPCNP-BC) directs aging and palliative care programs at UW-Madison Continuing Studies. Her healthcare expertise includes aging and chronic, advanced, and serious illness, emphasizing individual and family-centered care, communication, shared decision-making, and advocacy. She is also an End of Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) trainer. A former Clinical Professor in the School of Nursing, her programs build on her teaching expertise and her clinical experience, incorporating engaging discussions, case studies and practical strategies to address the challenges faced in clinical practice.

Cassie Shumway (MS, RN, OCN, CHPN) is a nursing education specialist for Oncology and UW Health, facilitating and teaching oncology and palliative educational offerings to nursing staff. She previously worked as an inpatient oncology/palliative care RN at UW Health.

This continuing nursing education activity has been submitted to the Wisconsin Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.