The Northeast Pulmonary Teaching Conference

The American Lung Association of Central New York  

Connie Jastremski, RN, MS, ANP, FCCM

            

Chief Nursing Officer and VP Patient Care Services
Bassett Healthcare
Cooperstown New York

One of the most difficult times in a clinician’s practice is when faced with patients at the end of life.  We learned from the SUPPORT study in the early 1990’s that we do not do well in this country with end of life care.  In many cases these patients have not left clear advance directives about the care they desire at the end of life so the clinicians are left to rely on the families or others in guiding the end of life decision making.  This presentation will focus on some of the issues faced by clinicians, patients and families at the end of life in the hospital.  I will discuss a six step protocol for breaking bad news that can be used in conversations at the end of life.  Finally through case discussion, the participants will have a chance to explore their own comfort with discussing end of life care.

Conversations at the End of Life

Objectives:

 At the end of this presentation the participants will be able to: 

bulletDescribe the need to change the way we care for people at the end of life.
bulletList some of the changes in society that may this the right time to deal with the issues surrounding the end of life care.
bulletDiscuss the six step protocol described to deliver bad news to a patient and/or family.
bulletApply the protocol in his or her practice.

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For more program information, contact Glenn Ivers at the American Lung Association of Central New York at 506 East Washington Street, Syracuse, NY 13202-1940   tel: 315-422-6142   
e-mail: Russ Acevedo, Program Chair and Webmaster
              Glenn Ivers, Committee Chair: glenn@nepulmonaryconf.com