About the Course
TAOGP02 - Hospice and End-of-Life Care Team Training Program
The registration fee includes access to training for up to 10 team members.
Contact us to register larger teams.
Elevate your team by developing a dedicated hospice program that sets the standard for compassionate care. Hospice care is an emerging field in veterinary medicine, and this program is designed to ensure that every team member has a foundational understanding of veterinary hospice care.
Throughout this program, team members will learn how to deliver quality-of-life consultations, provide modern and compassionate end-of-life care, and understand each individual's vital role in creating and maintaining a world-class hospice program.
This program includes:
TAOG08 - The Art of Approaching Hospice Care as a Team
TAOG04 - The Art of Delivering a Quality-of-Life Consultation
TAOG07 - The Art of Creating a Meaningful End-of-Life Care Experience
TAOG03 - The Art of Hospice and End of Life Care Communication
TAOG08
The Art of Approaching Hospice Care as a Team
Hospice care is a delicate and challenging time for families, and it requires a team approach to provide the support and care needed to monitor their pet's quality of life effectively. This course is designed to elevate how veterinary teams approach and deliver dedicated hospice care.
Learn the unique roles each team member plays in a hospice program. Discover how to conduct a quality-of-life consultation, a family's first reservation when entering hospice care, and explore typical follow-up schedules for hospice patients. Additionally, you’ll gain insights into creating a meaningful end-of-life care experience that supports the patient’s and the family’s emotional well-being and honours their bond.
TAOG04
The Art of Delivering a Quality-of-Life Consultation
One of the biggest struggles a family has as their beloved pet approaches the end of their life is knowing when it's time. The veterinary team's responsibility is to empower families with the tools, knowledge, and resources they need to monitor their pet’s comfort and overall quality of life.
This course is designed to equip RVTs with the knowledge and skills to deliver world-class quality-of-life consultations and follow-up schedules that empower families to monitor their terminally ill pet’s quality of life. You will also review helpful hospice modalities, including Pain Holidays, Comfort Kits, and more.
The Art of Delivering a Quality-of-Life Consultation course covers the following subjects:
What is a quality-of-life assessment and how to deliver one.
How to use quality of life scales.
The importance of having a family track their pet’s good days and bad days on a calendar.
Helping families use a pain scale.
The importance of quality over quantity.
Follow-up schedules for hospice patients
Hospice modalities: Pain Holidays, Comfort Kits, and Nebulization.
Creating a bucket list.
Helpful resources for a grieving family.
TAOG07
The Art of Delivering a Compassionate Euthanasia
Over the past decade, the approach to compassionate euthanasia has evolved significantly. Industry standards no longer support the use of minimal or no sedation for patients receiving end-of-life care. Additionally, families now expect a more compassionate and meaningful experience free of fear and discomfort. Families feel it is no longer acceptable to take their pet "to the back" for IV catheter placement during their final moments together, and we are here to help your team meet these modern expectations. As more and more veterinary teams embrace these changes, the teams who do not risk standing out in their community for all the wrong reasons.
This course is designed to elevate the end-of-life care experience for families and the patients they entrust to your care. You’ll discover modern sedation protocols developed by global hospice leaders that allow for muzzle-free, compassionate care for all patients. Learn effective strategies for compassionate communication, navigating challenges that may arise during end-of-life care, and transforming the exam room into a calming, grief-supportive space. Additionally, you will receive a curated list of the latest grief resources and helpful templates, ensuring that families leave your clinic feeling that their pet’s final moments were honoured with the respect and compassion they deserve.
TAOG03
The Art of Hospice and End-of-Life Care Communication
The way we communicate during end-of-life care is VERY different from the way we communicate with clients daily. We must learn this “new language” to better serve families on a pet owner's most difficult day.
This course was designed to help you develop your hospice and end-of-life care communication skills. Compassionate communication improves the end-of-life care experience for the patient, the family, and the care provider.
The Art of Hospice and End-of-Life Care Communication course covers the following subjects:
How judging a family's hospice or end-of-life care decision creates massive communication barriers and increases our risk for burden transfer and burnout.
Core communication skills.
How to convey compassion as you communicate with a grieving family.
Phone and email communication etiquette surrounding hospice and end-of-life care.
The do’s and don'ts of hospice and end-of-life care communication
The role body language plays in end-of-life care communication and the do’s and don'ts of body language.
Strategies for navigating hospice and end-of-life care communication challenges.