Core Curriculum
The Education in Palliative & End-of-Life Care (EPEC) core curriculum teaches fundamental palliative care skills in communication, ethical decision-making, psychosocial considerations and symptom management. The EPEC core curriculum combines didactic sessions, video presentations, interactive discussions and practice exercises.
Topics covered are:
- Goals of care
- Advance care planning
- Comprehensive assessment
- Communicating bad news
- Pain management
- Depression
- Anxiety and delirium
- Withdrawing/withholding treatment
- Medical futility
- Physician-assisted suicide
- Last hours of living
- Legal issues
- Gaps in palliative care
- Elements and models of end-of-life care
- Psychosocial issues
- Sudden illness
- GI symptoms
Permissions
Institutions and groups (including medical and professional societies, caregiver groups and individuals) may use the curricular materials for any audience and in any venue providing it is used for non-profit purposes and proper attribution is given.
Materials
The EPEC core curriculum can be taught in its entirety or in parts. The material is presented in 16 modules and four plenaries that incorporate the use of slides and videos. The curricula material on a USB is available for purchase.