Post-MSW Certificate in Palliative Care

• Video Transcript

  My cohorts and I are forging these relationships that are amazing, and it’s really helped me to elevate my practice as a social worker and my teammates’ practice as a social worker.

  So it’s been uplifting, it’s been validating, and it’s also upping our game.

Social workers play a key role in improving the individual experience of care, improving the health of populations, and reducing the costs of care for populations. Yet in many health care settings, social work services are undervalued and at times, understaffed.

The role of the social worker is central to palliative care’s goal of providing compassionate, patient and family-centered care that relieves the suffering and improves quality of life for those with serious or chronic illness.

The CSU Shiley Institute for Palliative Care’s Post-MSW Palliative Care Social Work Certificate Program is an 8-month online course designed to provide master’s prepared social workers with the knowledge and skills to be successful working in a palliative care, interprofessional environment whether that is in a hospital, hospice or other setting.

“We have a group of five social workers that are very cohesive, happy working together, and doing great work. Our team wouldn’t be whole without them, and the (Post-MSW Palliative Care Certificate) course has been helpful to pull them together and help them function at the top of their license.”

Bill Mitchell, MD, Director of Palliative Care at UC San Diego Health

What You’ll Learn Getting out of the “subconscious” and giving intention to thinking critically about what we do, how we do it and why Positioning social workers to serve as role models for best practices in palliative care Social workers utilizing “teaching and coaching” as a way to demonstrate leadership Moving away from being reactive to the many changes in healthcare and taking a more intentional role in positive problem solving

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• Video Transcript

  My name is Anne Front, I have a BSW, a Master’s in Clinical Psychology, and I’m a licensed marriage family therapist. I wanted to be in this course because I wanted to get more information, thoroughly understand the role and the purpose of the palliative care social worker.

  When I took the course, my kids were young, school-aged kids. A lot of homework, a lot of distractions. And, I thought, “How am I going to ever do this?” Eight months is a long time. By the end of the course, I was saying, “Why is it only eight months? I wish it was longer. I wish I could, you know, stay connected.” Which, I have stayed connected with people, with the organization.

  Every month, there was specific assignments and topics that we worked on, all relevant to the field, in terms of cross-cultural issues, ethical issues, clinical ways of working with patients and families, the ins and outs of symptom management, and the role of social workers in that process.

  So, I’ve had many years in the field with different populations, but when I started palliative care, I felt like I was a beginner, and honestly, this course was, I was looking forward to it. It ended up being a game-changer for me. I felt like it was a career-changer. It helped me understand the different ethical issues, clinical issues involved in working with palliative care. It also tapped into my inner strength, and the skills that I already have, to be the best clinician I can be.

  So, you know, I just totally enjoyed this course. It went too fast for me. I loved it. I learned so much. It’s such a valuable experience. It’s worth any sacrifice that you have to make. You will not regret it.

  I hope you take the course.

Required Course Textbook

• The Oxford Textbook of Palliative Social Work by Terry Altilio and Shirley Otis-Green

Course Schedule

All classes follow a three weeks on, one week off format. Participants will be expected to spend between 6 to 8 hours weekly on course related activities during the three “on” weeks.

Level 1: 2 Modules

Module 1: Palliative Care Social Workers: Exploring the Heart of Who We Are

• Week 1: Our History, Our Values, Our Path
• Week 2: The Social Worker – Team Member, Team Leader and Safari Guide Assuring a Focus on Person-Centered Care
• Week 3: The Role of the Social Worker in Pain Management and Spiritual Care – We Are Right There With You!

Module 2: Those Often Overlooked yet Critical Skills

• Week 1: Exposing Urban Myths with Critical Thinking
• Week 2: Is This the Right Path? Screening and Assessment
• Week 3: Going Beyond Emotional Support – Motivational Interviewing and Care Planning

Level 2: Advanced Skill Development

Module 3: Moving Beyond “Eclectic”: Essential Skills for Palliative Care Social Work Practice

• Week 1: Informed by Research: New Perspectives on Grief and Loss
• Week 2: Doing Nothing is Motivated by Something – Motivational Interviewing Part II
• Week 3: Utilizing Clinical Techniques within Our Scope of Practice – CBT, Mindfulness, etc.

Module 4: Challenges and Opportunities: Working with Challenging Situations

• Week 1: Working with Challenging Systems – Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, and Families
• Week 2: Is it Just a Personality Conflict? Personalities and Disorders
• Week 3: “The Good Death?” Taking a Proactive Approach with Dying and Death

Module 5: What it Means to be Inclusive

• Week 1: “Underserved Populations” – Investigating Diversity and Inclusion
• Week 2: Population Specific Best Practices
• Week 3: The Often Misunderstood – Gender, LGBTQ, Non-Religious

Module 6: When Both Yes and No Seem Wrong: Ethics in Palliative Care

• Week 1: Get Some Help! Resolving Ethical Dilemmas and Boundaries
• Week 2: Under the Microscope – Examining Palliative Sedation, Suicide, Assisted Suicide, “Self-Deliverance” and Choice
• Week 3: “What did you say!?”: Turning Our Attention to Language

Module 7: Putting it All Together: About Dying and Death

• Week 1: About Dying and Death Part 1
• Week 2: About Dying and Death Part 2
• Week 3: Self-Care: Care for Us Caregivers

Level 3: Social Work Leadership: Putting it All Together

Module 8: Social Work Leadership

• Week 1: Final Projects – Implementation and Review
• Week 2: Enhancing Professionalism – Social Workers as Leaders
• Week 3: Your Plan: Designing the Future 

Course Instructors