Welcome to Transitions in Care from Survivorship to Hospice, the third course in the Palliative Care Always specialization. This course focuses on the major changes that occur during the care continuum and how these changes impact the patient. This module will provide you with information on the course structure and first steps.

This module reviews the concepts learned in the Essentials of Palliative Care course and a brief summary of the symptoms covered in the Symptom Management in Palliative Care course. We realize that some learners are interested in only completing specific courses while others are moving through the entire specialization. Therefore the following videos are meant as a review for those who have not completed the other courses. You are not required to watch these videos if you feel you have a strong handle on the material. You can check your knowledge with the ungraded quiz in the next section and review the summary videos if necessary. Also contained in this module are the Sarah case study videos from Essentials of Palliative Care for those who want to review her story. Check your knowledge with the ungraded quiz in the next section and review the summary videos, if necessary. Also contained in this module are the Sarah case study videos from Essentials of Palliative Care and Symptom Management in Palliative Care for those who want to review her story.

Survivorship can be different depending on the type of serious illness the patient experiences. Patients define survivorship in a variety of ways – some define themselves as survivors when in remission, while other define survivorship as living each day fully while battling disease.Survivorship is most commonly discussed in the cancer setting as patients can be considered survivors during remission. In this module we will discuss survivorship in an oncology setting and a chronic disease setting such as liver disease.

Families experiencing a serious illness deal with pervasive physical, emotional, and spiritual distress. Spiritual concerns and emotional concerns are very much intertwined. Studies show that patients rely on spirituality to cope and find strength; positive religious coping is associated with improved comfort, increased self-esteem, and decreased anxiety. When people experience spiritual distress, the loss of this coping mechanism can compound negative effects of illness and increase suffering. Increasingly, spiritual care professionals such as chaplains work as part of healthcare teams to support the spiritual needs of families. Still, all members of the care team can gain the skills to identify and respond to spiritual distress. This module explores spirituality, spiritual distress, and how to leverage hope and forgiveness to bring comfort to patients and families.

Now we will take a look at death as a part of life. Palliative care, as we have learned throughout this course, is rooted in supporting optimal quality of life throughout the care continuum. While end-of-life is but one phase of this experience, hospice care is an invaluable tool to help patients and families live and die with dignity and comfort. During this module, you will learn more about identifying when a transition to hospice is warranted and tips for discussing the transition to hospice care. You will learn more about how the hospice team supports patients and families at end-of-life and experience a hospice home visit with Dr. Ellen Brown.

Congratulations on completing the course content. You have a few more step to complete the course. First review your reflection, next complete a peer-reviewed course project and then take the final exam. We hope you have enjoyed the course and look forward to seeing you in other classes!