NUR 420B Capstone Clinical - Palliative Care

1. Outcome 1: Apply palliative care principles to provide holistic care for patients with life-limiting illnesses.
   • Students will integrate knowledge of symptom management, emotional support, and individualized care approaches to enhance quality of life for patients nearing the end of life.
2. Outcome 2: Analyze ethical issues and human rights considerations in palliative care.
   • Students will evaluate ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care, such as decisions regarding treatment options, advance directives, and patient autonomy, and propose solutions grounded in nursing ethics and human rights.
3. Outcome 3: Demonstrate interprofessional collaboration in the management of palliative care patients.
   • Students will engage in team-based care models, collaborating with physicians, social workers, and other healthcare professionals to develop and implement patient-centered palliative care plans.
4. Outcome 4: Assess the needs of patients’ families and provide appropriate emotional and psychosocial support during end-of-life care.
   • Students will identify and address the psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual needs of families during the end-of-life process and offer resources and support tailored to their specific needs.

• Symptom Management Case Study:
  • In a clinical setting, students will work with palliative care patients to manage symptoms such as pain, dyspnea, and nausea.
  • They will document their approach, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, and reflect on the effectiveness of the care provided.
• Ethical Case Review:
  • Students will participate in a clinical ethics committee meeting or review a real-life ethical dilemma related to end-of-life care.
  • They will analyze the case, consider the patient’s rights and the family’s wishes, and propose an ethically sound resolution.
• Interprofessional Collaboration:
  • students will engage in an interprofessional team meeting.
  • They will contribute to the development of a comprehensive care plan for a palliative care patient, demonstrating effective communication and collaboration with other healthcare professionals.
• Family Support Assessment and Intervention:
  • Students will assess the emotional and psychosocial needs of a family of a patient receiving palliative care.
  • Based on their assessment, they will provide support resources such as grief counseling, spiritual care services, or social work interventions, and document the impact of these supports on the family’s well-being.