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Appendix B. Framework for an Educational Module for Health Professionals
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
ma e n d i x b Framework for an Educational Module for Health Professionals Richard L. O’Brien, M.D., and Wim J. M. Dekkers, M.D., Ph.D. Members of the European–U.S. Dialogue on Ethical Foundations of Palliative Care for Alzheimer’s Disease, funded by the Greenwall Foundation, New York, met in Berg en Dal, Netherlands, for a working conference in the fall of 2001. One of the products they generated is a framework for a teaching and learning module to educate and sensitize professional caregivers. Recognizing their crucial role in the care of persons with Alzheimer disease (AD),the purpose is to assist health professions educators to adapt this framework to the specific needs of their students, either those enrolled in health professions schools or practicing health professionals seeking continuing education. It is readily adaptable to interdisciplinary courses to facilitate team building in the care of persons with Alzheimer disease. Though specifically designed for health care professionals, it may also be adapted to the education of others involved in AD (e.g., health care administrators, bioethicists and philosophers, health policymakers , attorneys). The framework is designed for structuring curricula that may be offered as short or extended courses designed for learners at varying levels of educational attainment. It is not a syllabus or an accumulation of teaching materials. Emphases , depth and breadth of presentations, material covered and specific pedagogical modalities will depend on the needs and abilities of educators and learners. Course content and structure also will vary depending on the time and budget available, the professional disciplines, level of knowledge and learning goals of participants, specific cultural patterns, and other relevant factors. References to useful resources should be easily found in this book or by a literature search. m Goal Those who complete the course will understand the most important ethical aspects of palliative care for persons with AD, their families, and caregivers. m Objectives Those who complete the course will be able to • Describe AD and its different phases in general terms: genetics, pathology, behavioral patterns, prognosis, and treatment • Describe the burden of AD on primary caregivers and the rewards of caregiving • Describe the range of palliative care modalities relevant for patients with AD • Analyze moral problems in the care of patients and their families • Reflect on their technical and ethical performances on behalf of persons with AD • Reflect on their moral sensibility and attitude as they apply to selected cases • Reflect on relevant societal norms and values including solidarity and distributive justice • Collaborate in care for persons with AD and caregivers • Compare and contrast traditional bioethical principles with the principles of caring described in the Declaration of Berg en Dal on Ethical Principles Guiding Palliative Care of Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease • Interpret and apply the principles of the Declaration of Berg en Dal m Content I. Introduction: Palliative care At the present time, the care of patients with AD is necessarily palliative. Given the current state of knowledge and the modes of treatment, the only Framework for an Educational Module 34 [54.226.222.183] Project MUSE (2024-03-19 12:18 GMT) possible therapeutic goals are relief of symptoms, a comforting environment, and relief of the stress of AD on patients and caregivers. We adopted the definition of palliative care of the World Health Organization (Cancer Pain Relief and Palliative Care, Report of a WHO Expert Committee, Technical Report Series, No. 804, 1990; also available at www.who.int/dsa/justpub/cpl.htm; accessed January 2003). WHO definition of palliative care Palliative care is the active total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment. Control of pain, of other symptoms, and of psychological, social and spiritual problems is paramount. The goal of palliative care is achievement of the best possible quality of life for patients and their families. Many aspects of palliative care also are applicable earlier in the course of the illness, in conjunction with . . . [other] treatment. Palliative care • affirms life and regards dying as a normal process; • neither hastens nor postpones death; • provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms; • integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care; • offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death; • offers a support system to help the family cope during the patient’s illness and in their own bereavement. [Specific disease treatments] have a place in palliative...