Death and Dying - Virtual
LOCATION: Online
PRECEPTOR: Janna Baker Rogers,
DURATION: 4 weeks
OFFERED: Block 10 only
MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT: 6
STATUS: Elective
OBJECTIVES:
It can be challenging to talk about death and dying, even in the health professions. The goal of this online course is to give learners a dedicated opportunity in a supportive environment to explore the complex concepts of death and dying from a wide variety of perspectives in order to 1) contextualize the modern, western, medicalized view of death within a greater cultural and historical perspective, and 2) examine more deeply what death and dying may mean for their patients, their community, and for themselves as providers and humans.
Patient Care:
- Recognize differences in end-of-life goals that may be held by patients and loved ones
- Explain the importance of eliciting a patient and family’s cultural and spiritual beliefs and goals for end-of-life care
- Describe grief responses and social and cultural influences to those responses
- Assess one’s own biases and level of comfort related to death and grief to ensure sensitive and effective patient care
- Understand how to develop a patient-centered strategy for improving comfort and respecting dignity during the final stages of life, accounting for cultural preferences.
- Describe how different patient-related factors (such as age, cultural background, and access to social determinants of health) may influence how they are supported by the healthcare system at the end-of-life
Medical Knowledge:
- Describe three major cultural and religious perspectives on mortality, the afterlife, and funeral rites, and how these beliefs shape patient and family behaviors.
- Explain how historical and societal factors influence current practices and attitudes toward death within various cultures
- Analyze the interplay between biomedical models of death and diverse cultural interpretations of a "good death".
- Appraise how a patient's cultural and social context may influence their experience of grief and bereavement.
Practice-Based Learning:
- Explain how engaging with anthropological perspectives can prompt lifelong learning and self-improvement in patient care.
- Investigate and evaluate one's own evolving beliefs and practices related to death based on new anthropological knowledge.
Communication Skills:
- Learn factors important to attentively listen to patient and family concerns around death and dying
- Use knowledge of diverse ethical and cultural views of death and dying to understand the importance of empathetically communicating with patients, families, and other members of the healthcare team
Professionalism:
- Explain how an anthropological understanding of cultural norms informs ethical dilemmas, such as informed consent or withdrawal of life support.
- Discuss ethical and legal foundations of end-of-life care, including the right to die
Systems-Based Practice:
- Recognize the systemic and structural factors (e.g., socioeconomic status, healthcare access) that impact end-of-life care for diverse patient populations.
- Analyze how cultural assumptions within the healthcare system can lead to inequities in end-of-life care for marginalized groups.
- Reflect on how the modern medical system views death and dying, and how this view has evolved historically
- List three possible benefits and three possible drawbacks of the current U.S. healthcare system for patients at the end of life and their caretakers.
METHODS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES:
Formative Assessment:
Twice-weekly Discussion Board (Minimum one post and one response to fellow student weekly) • Completing assigned reading and watching videos • Final Project
Summative Assessment:
• Pass/Fail • Required to pass:
Read/watch all required materials
Participate in each seminar
Participate in each discussion board
Complete all assignments by stated deadlines
Demonstrate respectful attitude
PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE ROTATION:
Contact Dr. Janna Baker Rogers, janna.bakerrrogers@hsc.wvu.edu at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the rotation.