An Introduction to Palliative Care Social Work

Catalog description

All social workers will inevitably work with clients and families facing acute, serious or life-limiting illnesses. The needs of these clients and families across the life span are well-served by social workers trained in generalist palliative care. This course will provide an introduction to palliative care, its core principles and models of service delivery. It will focus on the role of social work on the inter-professional team, especially as a voice for social justice, advocating for culturally congruent patient-centered care and respect for patient and family self-determination when faced with ethical challenges. Basic precepts of adequate pain management, advance care planning and bio-psychosocial spiritual approaches across the illness trajectory will also be discussed.