This morning, nearly 300 students, about 130 junior nursing students from Kent State's College of Nursing and 160 second-year medical students from Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), assembled in the Kent Student Center ballroom to experience an interdisciplinary teaching simulation about end-of-life care.
Dana M. Hansen, Ph.D, APRN, ACHPN, is an associate professor at Kent State and co-director of the university's Ph.D. program in the College of Nursing. She believes that learning about how to interact for patients and their families during a supremely difficult and emotional time is essential for healthcare professionals.
“This interdisciplinary experience was important as it nurtures and develops communication and empathy skills needed for caring for patients and their families at the end of life."
"Through both the online educational content and the live forum theatre delivery/simulation, the aim was to have learners find effective strategies for dealing with personal emotions that build the professional resilience and confidence during end-of-life patient and family encounters," Hansen said.
This learning opportunity is tied to the CAREOL research project, "Catalyzing Relationships at the End of Life: Supporting Families through Final Conversion," on which Hansen is the principal investigator. The faculty research team from Kent State University’s College of Nursing was recently funded with a President's Grant by the prestigious Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. The goal of their study is to help ensure the competencies of new healthcare providers to facilitate vital family communication at the end of life.
Actors from Kent State's School of Theatre and Dance performed in the end-of-life care simulations. Mariah Gibbons, public relations and marketing coordinator for the College of Nursing, attended the simulation event. "As an observer, I found the students’ dedication to compassionate care very inspiring. It was fascinating to watch their direct feedback impact the actors' approach during the second simulation," she said.
Representatives from both Kent State and NEOMED were among 43 facilitators for the event, which included experts in end-of-life care from Summa Health, Cleveland State University and Hospice of the Western Reserve.
The project is partially funded by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, the Henderson Reserve Fund and through the generosity of Ali Dariushnia, Kent State alumnus and supporter of the Kent State College of Nursing.