ELNEC Core Curriculum

Courses included in this package include:  

• ELNEC Core Module 1: Palliative Nursing (1.25 hours)
• ELNEC Core Module 2: Pain Management (2 hours)
• ELNEC Core Module 3: Symptom Management (2 hours)
• ELNEC Core Module 4: Ethics in Palliative Nursing (1 hour)
• ELNEC Core Module 5: Cultural and Spiritual Considerations in Serious Illness (1.25 hours)
• ELNEC Core Module 6: Communication (1.25 hours)
• ELNEC Core Module 7: Loss, Grief, and Bereavement (1.25 hours)
• ELNEC Core Module 8: Final Hours (1.5 hours)

By completing the courses included, nurses will be able to: 

• Describe the philosophy and principles of palliative care that can be integrated into critical care settings
• Discuss the physiological, psychological, spiritual, cultural, and social aspects of care for patients and families with serious illness who are in critical care settings.
• Identify three barriers to adequate pain relief for patients with serious illness in the critical care setting.
• Describe two pharmacological and two nonpharmacological therapies used to relieve pain.
• Discuss the critical care nurse’s role in pain assessment and management for patients with serious illness in the critical care setting.
• Identify common symptoms and their etiologies associated with myriad serious illnesses and conditions across the lifespan.
• Discuss ethical issues and dilemmas that may arise in palliative and end-of-life care.
• Describe the process of advance care planning and its role in preventing ethical issues.
• Apply ethical principles utilized in addressing palliative and end-of-life care concerns, including models for case analysis and use of ethics committees.
• Identify dimensions of culture and spirituality that influence palliative care in the critical care setting.
• Discuss the value of interdisciplinary care in respecting cultural and spiritual diversity.
• Discuss the importance of interprofessional communication and communication with the individual with serious illness and their family caregivers.
• Describe steps in communicating difficult news.
• Describe the differences between loss, mourning, bereavement, and types of grief.
• Discuss eight influences on grief and three interventions and support systems to facilitate normal grief.
• Describe five physical signs and symptoms of the dying process and the important areas of assessment.
• Discuss the important physical, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual care needs of the patient nearing death and their family.
• Recall the role of the critical care nurse in the death of a patient.

And more...