Hospice and Palliative Care: Being With Loss
Presented by Rich Briggs
Non-Financial: Rich Briggs has no competing non-financial interests or relationships with regard to the content presented in this course.
This course is part of our GCS Prep-Program. Learn more about the full prep-program here: MedBridge GCS Prep-Program.
Therapists often work with seriously ill patients affected by trauma, aging, advanced disease or terminal illness. While it is essential that we bring the highest level of clinical care to each person, we must also bring our humanness; how we are can be as important as what we do. This course explores the psychological, social, and spiritual concerns faced by those in our care, as we accompany them along their path. Exercises include the experience and practice of mindfulness and presence for use as a clinical tool when issues of loss, suffering, and dying arise in patient care settings. The course concludes with a discussion of ways to support and cope with the losses both witnessed and experienced, so that rather than be depleted by this work, we might be fulfilled and become more whole.
Meet your instructor
Rich Briggs
Richard Briggs PT, MA has a clinical practice specializing in palliative care and hospice for the past 30 years. He has taught at the APTA National Conference and Combined Sections Meeting, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) Clinical and Management Conferences, the California Hospice Foundation, and…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Being with Loss, Suffering and Dying; a Contemplative Care Practice
The first chapter of this course defines the concept of a contemplative care practice, and will help the participant to recognize clinically relevant live situations that elicit personal reflection. This chapter also introduces the concept of recognizing mind, body and spirit when contemplating loss and suffering.
2. Suffering and Non-Attachment
This chapter takes a closer look at the concepts of suffering and non-attachment. Participants will learn to differentiate between pain and suffering, and recognize mental and emotional responses in order to better identify clinical opportunities to better utilize presence and non-attachment approaches.
3. Being Present: A Mindfulness Practice
Engaging in the practice of mindfulness can help therapists to experience personal awareness of mindfulness for use in client interactions. This chapter will help the participant to recognize the varying cultural manifestations of ‘presence’ and 'beingness,’ and provide strategies to promote mindful awareness in patients.
4. Mindfulness Practice
This chapter delves into the emotional responses of patients and clinicians, and provides tools for identifying opportunities to support patient emotional expression, and to recognize personal responses to challenging clinical situation and the consequences of those responses.
5. Therapists Self-Care
The final chapter of this course addresses an often-overlooked aspect of hospice and end of life care: self care for therapists. This chapter emphasizes the importance of recognizing one’s own issues of unfinished business, and identifying opportunities for growth with reflective self-examination.
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.