21 contact hours

The Certificate in End-of-Life Care represents a specialization in the field of caring for those who are experiencing a terminal illness. It is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of individuals who work with dying patients by providing a multidisciplinary educational experience.

The U.S. population is aging at a rapid rate, and the number of individuals, young and old, who are living with debilitating, chronic, or terminal illnesses is also increasing. The demand for knowledgeable providers to meet the needs of this population is dramatically increasing, new jobs are being developed, and new services created. Health professionals who work with this population will need continuing professional education to gain a broad understanding of this special area of care and to stay current with emerging trends.

Program Benefits:

The Certificate in End of Life Care distinguishes you as a knowledgeable, skilled, and committed professional in this special field of health care. The program

• enhances professional marketability,
  
  
• builds skills and competencies,
  
  
• fulfills continuing education requirements for many professionals, and
  
  
• develops an interdisciplinary perspective on end-of-life care.

Career Opportunities:

This certification program provides you with the knowledge and skills to effectively meet the needs of individuals who are experiencing chronic, terminal illnesses through a wide range of professional career paths. There are opportunities in nursing, teaching, administration, and research that focus on the needs and interests of these patients. These opportunities also exist within government programs and agencies; public and private institutions that provide health, education, and social services; research centers; special interest groups; colleges and universities; and corporate human resources divisions.

Participants:

This certificate is relevant for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed vocational or practical nurses, nursing assistants, social workers, occupational therapists, recreation therapists, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, administrators, psychologists, personal care assistants, volunteers, physicians, chiropractors, clergy, physical fitness professionals, adult children of aging parents, and individuals currently working with or planning to work with the terminally ill.

Curriculum:

The Certificate in End of Life Care consists of the following five courses.

1. End-of-Life Issues: Ethical Issues
2. End-of-Life Issues: Hospice and Palliative Care
3. End-of-Life Issues: Pain Assessment and Management
4. End-of-Life Issues: Physiologic Changes
5. End-of-Life Issues: Death, Dying, and Grief

Accreditation: 

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. 

Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing nursing education only and does not imply Commission on Accreditation approval or endorsement of any commercial product. 

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions courses are acceptable for CE contact hours in all states.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP 14693, for the stated number of contact hours. 

California Board of Behavioral Sciences Provider Number PCE 1564. This course meets the qualifications for the stated hours of continuing education credit for MFCCs and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. 

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions courses are approved for continuing education credit for diabetes educators. All ANCC accredited courses are accepted for continuing education credit by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE). 

ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider.  Provider Number 451562-11

This activity is being provided by ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC and co-provided by Education to Go.  

Expiration Date:  06/15/2013

See Course Description.

Internet access, e-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser. Certificate program must be completed within six weeks of the start date.

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Cyndie Koopsen and Caroline Young.

Cyndie Koopsen, RN, BSN, MBA, HN-BC, RN-BC is a nurse who has cared for patients in acute care settings, community clinics, and the home. Her professional nursing career has involved nursing executive leadership and administration, staff development and education, community education and wellness, and holistic care. She has designed, developed, and presented numerous educational programs for audiences covering integrative health, promotion and wellness, and chronic disease management and prevention. She is the co-author of Spirituality, Health, and Healing and Integrative Health: A Holistic Approach for Health Professionals.

Caroline Young, MPH, has an extensive public health background that includes experience in research, workshop presentations in various areas of health care, and online and onsite teaching. She has expertise in holistic community health and wellness program design, development, marketing, implementation, and evaluation. She has also designed, developed, and presented integrative health programs for culturally diverse populations, senior populations, and faith communities. She is the co-author of Spirituality, Health, and Healing and Integrative Health: A Holistic Approach for Health Professionals.

These authors/presenters are the Co-CEOs of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC. They have no affiliation or financial involvement that conflicts with the material or information presented in this activity. No commercial support has been received for this activity. All applicable local, regional, state, and/or national laws and regulations have been followed in the development and delivery of this activity.

“ I found this course not only informative for the type of work I am going into, but very informative regarding personal healing that has taken place over the past decade, due to some personal losses I have experienced. Thank you for this class. I have enjoyed learning the material. ”

“ This has been a very interesting and emotional journey for me. I really had to get in touch with my own loss of family and how I think of death. I have started using some of the ideas with my mother-in-law who is 93 years old, especially the journals and going through her doll collection. Thank you for the inspiration of your work. ”

“ I am a nurse and I am interested in hospice care. I found this course very helpful. Thank you! ”

“ I found this course informative for the type of work I am going into. It's also very informative regarding personal healing that has taken place over the past decade, due to some personal losses I have experienced. Thank you for this class. I have enjoyed learning the material. ”

“ This course provided useful, concise, practical information to all those working with the dying and their families. Although I am retired, I continue to volunteer assisting the terminally ill with their journey. Particularly interesting was the information regarding cultural differences and how to work with those who have different ideologies, beliefs, religions and values. I will have a better understanding of my feelings toward the dying process and be more understanding about what is taking place and how others view and approach the topic. ”

“ Always knowing that this is a time of hardship for the patient and the family, and I was always most attentive to both the personal needs of the patient and the family, I feel that my understanding of the process is far more meaningful now that I have had this class. It is a dying process that most health professionals don't understand, or take the time to understand. I will recommend this class to all my associates, I enjoyed it very much. ”

“ I am very pleased and satisfied with this course, it was very interesting. It will help me in my own life and in my job too. I will recommend it to others caregivers who want to learn more about this interesting topic. ”

“ I have never taken an online class before and really enjoyed this one. I have done hospice as a volunteer for about ten years and this class was full of information. Thank you for sharing it. ”

“ I am a skeptic about online courses but the subject matter is of great interest. I have been very surprised at the deep thought and challenging questions the exams provided. I actually learned a lot through the class. ”

“ This class was extremely interesting to me, and also helped me to understand that two years after the death of a loved one, it is normal to still be grieving. It helped me better understand my own grief process, and that of my children. Thank you for that. ”