• Click Here for Brochure and Accreditation Information
  
  
• This is an on-demand course which is designed for learners to engage with content at their own convenience and pace, without the need to attend live sessions. Dates for this course are June 1 to August 31, 2025.
  

DESCRIPTION
Life expectancy and longevity are gradually increasing as a result of advances in health care. Subsequently, the number of persons living with chronic degenerative conditions and disease has increased from months to years following an initial diagnosis due to these advances. This factor has contributed to an increasing need for palliative care. The understanding and approach to palliative care has changed from being a service in the last days of life to becoming a holistic approach for managing symptoms associated with progressive disease, functional deficits and the needs of patients and families. Palliative care is an interdisciplinary approach that aims to relieve physical, psychosocial and spiritual symptoms to maintain the highest level of function. Rehabilitation professionals are an integral part of this team.

This course will introduce learners in acute care, rehabilitation and home health settings to the varied phases and approaches to palliative care and rehabilitation. Learners will become equipped with the knowledge and tools to assist patients for functional gains targeting patient centered goals and to ensure families or caregivers obtain training and support within an appropriate time frame. The pediatric to geriatric patient requiring palliative rehabilitation will be examined for the promotion of independence in self-care activities, improved symptomatic control and stabilization of functional decline in line with individual life preferences. Finally, learners will better understand their role on the interdisciplinary team and , how to create a holistic approach incorporating the main principles of palliative care into a patient’s rehabilitation journey.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This course is applicable to pediatric and adult practitioners, including: Advanced Practice Nurses, Certified Case Managers, Chaplains, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants and Speech-Language Pathologists. Please see the section Continuing Education for accreditation details.

LEARNER OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: 

1. Define the phases and approaches to palliative rehabilitation
2. Explain the principles of a holistic approach to palliative rehabilitation
3. Identify the roles of each member of the interprofessional palliative rehabilitation care team
4. Generate patient-centered goals targeting functional gains and in anticipation of functional decline
5. Engage the patient and their support care team on education regarding goals of care
6. Describe ethical considerations for a patient in palliative care
   

SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION
To successfully complete this course On-demand, participants will need to view all recordings, complete assessments and complete an evaluation after the course through the Academy Learning Portal by Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. Learners will have access to the course materials for review until Nov. 29, 2025.

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Case Managers: 

This program has been pre-approved by The Commission for Case Manager Certification to provide continuing education credit to CCM® board-certified case managers. The course is approved for 8.0 CE contact hour(s).
Nursing:

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This CNE is being offered for 8.0 contact hours of continuing nursing education.

Occupational Therapists:

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. Course approval #11126. This distance learning, independent course is offered at .80 CEUs [intermediate level, OT service delivery/foundational knowledge]. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

Physical Therapy:
This course has been approved by the Illinois Physical Therapy Board for 8 Hours (8 Hours of Self-Study). Approval #216-000069

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is recognized by California and the New York State Education Department's State Board for Physical Therapy as an approved provider of physical therapy and physical therapist assistant continuing education for 8.0 Contact Hours 8 Hours (8 Hours of Self-Study) on 10/16/2024.

Many states accept continuing education contact hours recognized in other states, enabling professionals to use these hours to meet their licensing or certification requirements. Please consult your state regulations to see if this meets CEU requirements for your license.

Speech-Language Pathology: