Bereavement Support and Role of Bereavement Coordinator in Hospice
Presented by Danette M. Muzic
Nonfinancial: Danette M. Muzic has no competing nonfinancial interests or relationships with regard to the content presented in this course.
This course would be appropriate for anyone interested in understanding the role of bereavement and the bereavement coordinator in hospice. This would include hospice leadership, registered nurses, social workers, spiritual care providers, and bereavement coordinators. In this course, we will discuss the Medicare Conditions of Participation expectations of hospice bereavement—when does bereavement support begin, and whom do we support? Additionally, this course will explore the significant value of offering bereavement support by the bereavement coordinator prior to the death of the patient—why is this best practice, and what are the triggers to initiate? Bereavement assessment, including risk factors and protective factors, will be discussed as well as the utilization of the Bereavement Risk Assessment Tool (BRAT). Finally, characteristics of a robust bereavement program will be described. Last Reviewed: September 2023
Meet your instructor
Danette M. Muzic
After spending 15 years in private practice counseling, Danette M. Muzic felt as though she had come home when she began hospice work more than 12 years ago. Danette is passionate about companioning patients and families through the dying process and bereavement. As manager of support services for a large hospice…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Role of Bereavement in Hospice
In this chapter, we will discuss an overview of the Medicare Hospice Conditions of Participation requirements for bereavement support. It will be made clear that bereavement support begins at the time of admission of the hospice patient and continues for a minimum of 12 months following the death of the patient. Bereavement support should be offered by the hospice team to anyone impacted by the illness and death of the patient.
2. Role of Bereavement Coordinator
In this chapter, we discuss the role of the bereavement coordinator as integral and vital to the hospice interdisciplinary team. The bereavement coordinator should be viewed as the grief and loss expert in the agency and sought to provide this unique and important support before, during, and after the death of the patient.
3. Understanding Bereavement Risk
Grief is a unique journey for everyone. As a result, there are no scientifically validated assessment tools to assess bereavement risk for complicated or prolonged grief. In this chapter, we discuss how to think critically and determine the interplay with a bereaved person’s risk factors and protective factors in order to determine overall risk. Additionally, the Bereavement Risk Assessment Tool (BRAT) is discussed as a tool used in the industry to assist in gathering this information.
4. Developing a Robust Bereavement Program
In this chapter, we explore some of the hallmark elements of a well-developed bereavement program. This includes predeath bereavement, bereavement support to the interdisciplinary team, community partners in care, patients, families, and the community as needed. Thorough documentation of the bereavement care plan, goals, and interventions, with indication of resolving goals, is also described.
More courses in this series
Spiritual Care in Hospice and the Role of the Spiritual Counselor
Danette M. Muzic
Bereavement Support and Role of Bereavement Coordinator in Hospice
Danette M. Muzic
The Role of the Social Worker in Hospice Care
Danette M. Muzic
Cultural Competence in End-of-Life Care
Danette M. Muzic
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Medbridge courses.
Who creates Medbridge courses?
We work with industry-leaders, top researchers, and consultants to build content roadmaps that are then structured into courses, filmed, and edited by our production team before being launched to our site.
How often does Medbridge release new courses?
New courses are added monthly and are automatically included in your subscription as they launch.
How often does Medbridge update courses?
Medbridge reviews its courses annually for relevance and to assess if content is up to date. Based on these reviews it may be determined that a course is out of date resulting in the course being re-filmed or retired, if the content is no longer needed (e.g. a replacement course already exists, the concepts are no longer best practice, etc.).
How many courses does Medbridge offer?
We have over 3,000 accredited courses and we are continually updating our library with new courses. Check our course library for the most up-to-date count for your discipline.
Are there any additional fees for taking a Medbridge course?
There are no additional fees for taking a Medbridge course, obtaining a course certificate of completion, earning CEUs as a subscriber, or accessing any of the additional tools your subscription may include.
Is there a limit to the number of courses I can take?
There is no limit to the number of courses you can take as a subscriber! As a subscriber to Medbridge, you have unlimited access to over 3,000+ accredited CE courses.
If you are a Premium subscriber, you also have unlimited access to our Patient Engagement Tools such as the Home Exercise Program, Patient Education Library, Orthopedic Exam Tests, and Manual Therapy Techniques. We have over 7,000 exercises and over 650+ videos and handouts of patient education resources with more exercises and patient education added to the library based on subscriber feedback, volume of request and specialities.
What is your refund policy?
You are eligible for a refund provided your request is received within 30 days of your subscription purchase and your account has no activity.