AC6725 - End of Life Care for All

What will I learn on this module?

In this module, you will explore the needs of the patient who has life limiting disease and is approaching the end of their life. This module will enable you to critically examine your practice when caring for this vulnerable group of patient’s and will enable you to consider the holistic needs of the patient and their carer’s. You will be encouraged to reflect and explore personal experiences arising from your own clinical practice in order to explore ways of enhancing your professional practice. The module provides the opportunity for you to identify and examine the challenges of care delivery at the end of life. You will investigate the holistic multi-disciplinary care necessary to facilitate quality end of life care. A flexible learning approach is adopted to assist in the development of specific knowledge relating to end of life care in both the cancer patient and patients suffering diseases other than cancer.

Topics will include; Contemporary policy drivers, holistic common assessment, common core principles and competences in the end of life workforce, recognition of disease trajectories in advanced disease, multi-professional working, bereavement theories and models, funding and resource issues.

How will I learn on this module?

You will learn through a blended learning approach which will incorporate the use of the University’s interactive online eLearning Portal (eLP), lectures and discussions. Technology enabled learning will be enhanced through your interaction with the eLP which will give you the flexibility to access the module materials and aids remotely. The lectures will cover theories and concepts that will enable you to tackle a series of guided exercises. Many of the exercises will ensure you co-construct knowledge collaboratively with your module peers. You will be required to actively engage in research rich learning through an enquiry based approach to ensure authentic learning.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

You will be supported by the Module Leader who has extensive experience in specialist palliative care, maintains links with and works closely with specialist services in the region and nationally. You will be supported by the module team at the scheduled timetabled group sessions at university with formative feedback provided throughout the delivery and you will be encouraged to access individual tutorials for the summative assessment. Specialist lecturers and practitioners will deliver specific sessions and will also be available to support your learning. Blackboard Ultra offers remote access to materials and aids for reinforcing your learning. Further support is available in person at Student Central located in the University Library or through your student portal where you can contact Ask4Help 24/7 via 0191 2274646.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:

1. Critically analyse ethical and legal dilemmas encountered in everyday practice when providing end of life care and apply that knowledge to case studies.
2. Develop relevant knowledge to be able to critically analyse the management and needs of patients and their families within the context of multi-professional practice.

Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities:

3. Use established techniques to critically analyse the contemporary evidence underpinning high quality end of life care delivery.
4. Hold critical discussions with peers during workshops and in your written summative assessment.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

5. Develop the characteristics of a Northumbria student as you critically examine your own contribution to effective care delivery and multi-disciplinary teamwork.

How will I be assessed?

MLO’s 1-5 will be addressed formatively and summatively.

Formative assessment will take place in the form of student led seminars, this will enable the student to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes and the synthesis of theory and practice. Completion of the exercises will demonstrate the ability to:

• Research and critically articulate differing types of evidence; discussing with peers and teachers the relevance of the evidence.

• Work collaboratively within a learning community; presenting information to module peers in a variety of formats.

The student will be encouraged to seek formative feedback from both module tutors and peers before the summative assessment date which presents them with the opportunity to improve their evidence of learning through reflection and constructive feedback.

Summative assessment

The summative assessment for this module will enable the practitioner, irrespective of their area of practice, to examine and discuss the intervention(s) and support provided for a person and their family who have reached the end of life. The essay will demonstrate the achievement of the module learning outcomes it is expected that whilst the essay is situated in practice the need for anonymity and confidentiality will be respected. This will be achieved by digital submission of a 3000 words essay via Turnitin.
Feedback will be given electronically via Turnitin and will include development advice for future academic work (MLO 1-5).

Pre-requisite(s)

N/A

Co-requisite(s)

N/A

Module abstract

This module is aimed at practitioners who care for all patients at the end of life. The module focus is on the patient pathway, and supporting patient choice regarding care and treatment. Recognition of clinical indicators in advanced disease will enable participants to develop proactive planning strategies to deliver high quality care in the last year, months and days of life. The module provides an opportunity to explore the challenges of care delivery at the end of life. A flexible learning approach is adopted to assist in the development of specific knowledge relating to end of life care in both the cancer patient and patients suffering diseases other than cancer.

The assessment is based on your knowledge and understanding of end of life care contextualised for your professional practice in the form of a 3000 word essay, which will enable you to demonstrate achievement of the module learning outcomes.

Course info
modern university of the year

Credits 20

Level of Study Undergraduate

Mode of Study 2 years Part Time

Department Nursing, Midwifery & Health

Location Coach Lane Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2025

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

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