Are you a veterinary professional passionate about providing the most compassionate care for animals at every stage of their lives? As beloved companions age or face serious illnesses, their needs evolve, requiring a specialized approach to end-of-life care. An is the ideal way to enhance your skills and knowledge in this crucial area of veterinary medicine.
This comprehensive program is expertly designed for veterinary professionals like you, aiming to deepen your expertise in delivering effective and empathetic end-of-life care for companion animals. Led by the renowned Dr. Kathleen Cooney, this certificate program immerses you in modern best practices, covering essential techniques in euthanasia, palliative care strategies, and vital communication skills for interacting with grieving pet owners. The program emphasizes the critical role of sedation in ensuring patient comfort, minimizing fear, anxiety, and stress. It even introduces forward-thinking concepts such as ‘euharmony’, focusing on creating a peaceful and harmonious euthanasia experience.
A core principle of the program is to help you reimagine what constitutes a ‘good death’ for an animal. It equips you with the tools and understanding to ensure both the emotional and physical well-being of clients and your veterinary staff during the challenging euthanasia process. Dr. Cooney shares her extensive personal and professional experiences, offering invaluable insights into the emotional and ethical dimensions of end-of-life care.
Program Highlights: Mastering End-of-Life Care
This certificate program is structured to provide a thorough and practical learning experience, broken down into key parts:
Part 1: Foundational Guidelines
The program begins by establishing a strong foundation in industry best practices. Participants will delve into the AAHA / IAAHPC’s End of Life Care Guidelines. This crucial section ensures all participants understand the core principles of hospice and palliative care in veterinary medicine. Notably, this part is RACE Approved for 0.5 Continuing Education (CE) credits.
Part 2: Euthanasia and Hospice Service Excellence
Modules 1-8 focus extensively on Euthanasia and Hospice Services. This section comprehensively addresses the clinical goals for patients needing end-of-life care, while also sensitively considering the emotional, social, and even spiritual needs of their devoted caregivers. Completing this section earns participants RACE Approved 4.0 CE credits.
Part 3: Palliative Care in Veterinary Practice
The final modules, 9-14, guide you through End of Life Care Palliative Care in Practice. Here, you will learn about the specific objectives of palliative medicine, effective practices for alleviating discomfort and distress in animal patients, and your responsibilities in the after-death period. This section is submitted for RACE approval and expected to offer 6.0 CE credits.
Earn Your AAHA Hospice & Palliative Care Champion Digital Badge
Upon successful completion of this enriching program, participants will be awarded the prestigious AAHA’s Hospice & Palliative Care Champion Digital Badge. This digital badge is a recognized symbol of your commitment and expertise in animal hospice and palliative care. More importantly, you will gain significant confidence in your ability to provide compassionate and highly professional end-of-life care, making a profound positive impact on the lives of both pets and their loving owners.
Choose Your Learning Path: Program Enrollment Options
To cater to diverse learning needs, the program offers flexible enrollment options:
- Complete Course (Euthanasia / Hospice & Palliative Care): For the most comprehensive learning experience.
- Euthanasia / Hospice Only: Focus specifically on euthanasia and hospice care techniques.
- Palliative Care Only: Concentrate on the principles and practices of palliative care.
Investment in Your Expertise:
AAHA Members
- Complete Course: $200.00
- Hospice Only: $80.00
- Palliative Care Only: $120.00
Non-Members
- Complete Course: $250.00
- Hospice Only: $100.00
- Palliative Care Only: $150.00
© American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). All rights reserved.
Investing in an animal hospice & palliative care certificate program is an investment in enhancing your veterinary practice, enriching your skills, and providing unparalleled comfort and care to animals and their families during their most vulnerable times.
