Clinical Ethics and End-of-Life Care require specific knowledge and expertise – and probably also a particular temperament. During this e-Course participants will learn how to assess the severity of illness and prognosis, consider relevant ethical, legal, religious, and cultural issues, communicate effectively with patients, relatives and medical staff and minimise their distress, boost team-working, and make clear decisions in accordance with the patients’ wishes.
After registering for the event, ensure you access the dedicated online classroom on the ESICM Academy.
Carole BOULANGER – ACCP/RN, Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom;
Andrej MICHALSEN – MD, MPH, consultant in Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Konstanz General Hospital, Konstanz, Germany. Section on Ethics member, European Society of Intensive Care Medicine
Endorsement: The Clinical Ethics and End-of-Life Care e-Course is endorsed by the Ethics Section of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.
Objectives
To consolidate the basic ethical principles and understand the ethical and legal issues related to end-of-life care
To analyse when treatment may be “inappropriate”
To value and apply clear communication pertaining to treatment goals and preferences
To explain factors which may influence attitudes to death
To assess end-of-life decisions with members of the health care team and promote their participation in decision-making
To communicate effectively with relatives who may be anxious, angry, confused, or litigious
To understand the role of palliative care, to support dying patients and their families and relieve their distress
Programme Content
Ethical principles and reasoning
Ethical climate in ICUs
Indication and prognostication
Communication and shared decision-making regarding end-of-life care
The role of palliative care
Principles and practice of limiting life-sustaining treatments
Prioritization of scarce resources
Target
Junior physicians, nurses and allied healthcare professionals with an ICU background or a special interest in Clinical Ethics and End-of-Life Care
Senior intensivists seeking for a review on the topic
Support LMI Countries
IMPORTANT! A total of 10 places will be offered for FREE to participants coming from Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), as per the World Bank classification. If you are interested to apply for an LMIC place, send us your letter of interest and CV to education@esicm.org. Applicants from LMIC may be selected for a maximum of 3 ESICM eCourses for FREE every year. Applicants who have participated in 1 eCourse as a free LMIC applicant need to have an active ESICM membership for the current year before applying again.
Accreditation
An application will be made to the UEMS EACCME® for CME accreditation of this event.
Highlights from previous editions
2023
27 participants from 14 countries engaged in highly interactive debates on ethical reasoning, palliative care, limitation of LST, shared decision-making, prioritisation of scarce resources and much more. Here are some of their comments on this immersive educational format:
I learned a lot or got confirmation I’m working well and it was good to hear how all this works around the world.
I think it’s much more difficult to organise an online event like this was, than a live one, and I would like to say that the faculty did this excellently, you could see how coordinated and dedicated they were.
I am deeply impressed with the quality, support, respect and interactivity of this course. I will recommend it to colleagues.
I was really impressed by your enthusiasm and collaborative teamwork among European ICU professionals. I will dedicate myself to fostering ‘ethical climate’ in Japan.
Friendly environment, well-structured and easy to follow.
There were many participants and faculty from many different parts of the world which brought more diversity to the experience. The open discussions were extremely useful.
Firstly it gave me a good understanding which will give me more confidence in having these discussions in my practice, putting the patient’s best interests first.
Secondly, the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, including the patients’ family and friends, to this was reinforced and I will always do this when I am faced with these scenarios.
Thirdly, I will try to impart some of what I learnt to my colleagues.
2022
A total of 10 experts and 36 participants from 14 countries engaged in highly interactive debates on ethical reasoning, palliative care, limitation of LST, shared decision-making, prioritisation of scarce resources and much more. Here are some of their comments on this immersive educational format:
Really interesting day, very useful!
It was really an inspiring experience. Thank you for these great two days!
It’s been a pleasure to attend this e-Master Class. Thank you all for these very fruitful two days.
2021
Despite the uncertain context, the second edition of the End-of-Life Care Master Class has just wrapped up, this time virtually! A total of 10 experts and 76 participants from 26 countries engaged in interactive activities and case-based discussions. Here are some of their comments on this innovative educational format:
Highly recommended course. I could share my experiences and learn from experts.
The academy was amazing. I’m more enlightened. Thank you!
I was very happy to see that my dilemmas are common, that my problems are common too.
My ideas were challenged and I feel refreshed and enlightened.
Thank you all for perfect and inspirative 2 days.
Very stimulating, provocative full of inspiration and even therapeutic at some moments! Thanks to everyone. It’s been a very informative and thought-provoking 2 days.
2019
The 1st edition of End-of-Life Care has just wrapped up. A total of 9 experts and 42 participants from 18 countries came together for 2 days at the ESICM Training Centre in Brussels. Here are some of their comments on what they liked best:
Meeting like-minded colleagues -feel less isolated in thinking.
Insight into cultural, religious, country differences and similarities re topic.
Multinational course Learning from other professionals, good open discussions and debates.
Approachability of directors and faculty. All the participants were rather experienced, so the level of the discussions was very high and it was great to meet so many people from different countries and to learn about their different perceptions of ethical issues in the ICU.
Excellent, experienced, enthusiastic faculty, still humble and open to new thoughts and ideas! The topic is of utmost importance to the field.
Finally,- finalement – endlich has the ESICM organised a Masterclass on this topic. Thanks a lot for that.