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FutureLearn

Palliative Care: Easing Non-Pain Physical Symptoms

via FutureLearn

Overview

Enhance patient care using health assessment tools and tailored treatment plans

Palliative care provides important support for people living with serious or life-limiting illnesses and their family caregivers.

On this three-week course from the University of Colorado, learn how to use symptom assessment tools to better administer appropriate interventions to individuals with serious or life-limiting illnesses, including those suffering from anorexia, cachexia, dyspnea, and gastrointestinal issues.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to integrate palliative care strategies into your practice, enhancing the quality of life for those navigating serious illness and their caregivers.

Utilise symptom assessment tools to alleviate suffering

You’ll begin this course by identifying common non-pain symptoms found in patients suffering from serious illnesses, including anorexia and cachexia, to better manage patient health and provide family members support.

Delve further into other non-pain symptoms, including dyspnea and cognitive impairment

To understand how medications and integrative pain therapies work to reduce dyspnea and fatigue, you’ll recognise their impact on symptom severity and patient comfort.

Familiarise yourself with different types of cognitive impairment, including delirium, and offer effective management strategies.

Learn more about palliative care from the University of Colorado

Throughout this course, you’ll be guided by the University of Colorado’s team of qualified experts and healthcare professionals.

If you’re interested in delving further into palliative care, the University of Colorado offers several other courses on pain management, whole-person assessment, and easing psycho-social-spiritual distress. Find them [here] (https://www.futurelearn.com/partners/university-of-colorado-system).

This course is designed for healthcare providers working with seriously ill patients and their families, including nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and allied health professionals.

It’ll also be helpful for family and community members of the seriously ill.

Syllabus

  • Easing Non-Pain Symptoms in Palliative Care Introduction
    • Introduction to Common Symptoms and Anorexia
    • Routine Symptom Assessment
    • Challenges in Symptom Screening and Assessment
    • Anorexia and Cachexia
    • Let's Talk About it. Addressing Concerns of Patients and Family About Anorexia
    • Screening for Anorexia and Weight Loss
    • What to do? Helping People Eat More
    • What Else Could Be The Problem?
    • A Pill That Makes You Eat and Gain Weight
    • Introduction to Common Symptoms and Anorexia Assessment
  • Shortness of Breath Dyspnea
    • Introduction To Dyspnea
    • What Does It Feel Like?
    • Managing Dyspnea
    • Lifestyle Changes
    • A Conversation Between Martha, Rhonda, and Elizabeth
    • Introduction to Fatigue
    • We All Need To Speak The Same Language About Fatigue
    • Why Am I So Fatigued?
    • Polypharmacy
    • How Bad Is Your Fatigue?
    • What Can We Do?
    • Medications for Fatigue
    • Weakness and Fatigue Assessment
  • Cognitive Impairment and NVC Introduction
    • Cognitive Impairment Introduction
    • Types of Cognitive Impairment
    • Normal Aging
    • Delirium
    • Near Death Awareness
    • Caregiver Burden
    • Key Points
    • Cognitive Impairment Assessment
    • Nausea, Constipation, and Vomiting Introduction and NVC
    • What Makes People Vomit?
    • Treatments for Nausea and Vomiting
    • Constipation
    • Nausea, Vomiting, and Constipation Assessment

Taught by

Jill L

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