Education

Module 1: First Steps® Advance Care Planning Facilitation Overview

Lesson Title:

First Steps Advance Care Planning Facilitation Overview

Lesson Description:

The goal of this lesson is to provide the learner with an overview of the First Steps Advance Care Planning (ACP) facilitation process. This overview will include the basic components and goals of the process, as well as a description of the Respecting Choices® staged approach to ACP. Learners will also be introduced to the responsibilities they will have as an ACP Facilitator and the strategies they can use to create a written advance directive that is clear, accurate and complete.

Objectives:

As a result of completing this lesson, the learner will be able to:

·      Describe the three components of the ACP process (i.e., understanding, reflection, and discussion).

·      Describe the Respecting Choices staged approach to ACP.

·      List the goals of First Steps ACP.

·      Identify responsibilities of the First Steps ACP Facilitator.

·      Identify three strategies to create a written advance directive that is clear, accurate, and complete.

Module 2: Facilitating First Steps® Advance Care Planning Conversations

Lesson Title:

Facilitating First Steps – ACP Conversations

Lesson Description:

The purpose of this lesson is to prepare individuals to become Advance Care Planning (ACP) Facilitators. The lesson provides an overview of advance care planning, outlines the first steps involved with making an advance care plan, provides learners with strategies for motivating individuals to make advance care plans, and presents a variety of scenarios and role-play opportunities that allow the learners to practice their facilitation skills.

Objectives:

As a result of completing this lesson, the learner will be able to:

·      Explain ACP to individuals who lack understanding.

·      Assist individuals with the three decisions involved in First Steps ACP.

·      List strategies to motivate individuals to participate in ACP.

·      Develop strategies for involving healthcare agents in ACP conversations.

Module 3: Facilitating First Steps® Advance Care Planning Conversations with Adults with Chronic Illness

Lesson Title:

Facilitating First Steps Advance Care Planning with Adults with Chronic Illness

Lesson Description:

The goal of this lesson is to provide the learner with strategies to incorporate First Steps Advance Care Planning (ACP) into the routine care management of adults with chronic illness.  The learner will also be introduced to their responsibility to identify gaps in individuals’ knowledge and provide them with needed information and referrals.  The lesson will also demonstrate how to use a decision-making framework to assist individuals in making informed treatment decisions and how to create strategies to ensure that the individual’s plan is followed.

Objectives:

As a result of completing this lesson, the learner will be able to:

·      Identify strategies to include First Steps ACP into the routine care management of adults with chronic illness

·      Assist adults with chronic illness in clarifying their goals for living well, and identifying fears and worries

·      Use a decision-making framework to assist individuals in making informed treatment decisions (e.g., CPR)

·      Create strategies to ensure an individual’s plan is followed

Module 4: Communication Skills for Facilitating Advance Care Planning Conversations

Lesson Title:

Respecting Choices: Communication Skills for Facilitating Advance Care Planning Conversations

Lesson Description:

The goal of this Respecting Choices® lesson is to identify essential interview skills and communication techniques that lead to high quality and effective person and family centered ACP conversations.

Objectives:

As a result of completing this lesson, the learner will be able to:

·      Identify and apply the following general interview skills to enhance the ACP conversation

o   Explore the meaning of words and phrases

o   Paraphrase/clarify

o   Listen for themes that relate to ACP

o   Ask, “Anything else?”

o   Affirm/reaffirm the purpose of the conversation

o   Verbalize empathy

·      Identify and apply the following additional communication techniques

o   Teach Back technique to assess understanding

o   Non-verbal communication

o   Value-neutral communication

Module 5: Facilitating Advanced Steps Advance Care Planning Conversations

Lesson Title:

Facilitating Advanced Steps Advance Care Planning (ACP) Conversations

Lesson Description:

The purpose of this lesson is to prepare individuals to become Advanced Steps Advance Care Planning Facilitators. This lesson provides an overview of the Advanced Steps ACP stage of planning, including the key features of a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Paradigm program. It also provides learners with strategies to use when preparing for an Advanced Steps ACP conversation, as well as those to use during an Advanced Steps ACP conversation to ensure that an individual’s goals, values, fears and concerns are identified, they are adequately assisted in making treatment decisions consistent with their goals of care and that strategies are created to ensure that their plan is honored. Furthermore, this lesson provides learners with a variety of scenarios and role-play opportunities so that they can practice their facilitation skills.

Objectives:

As a result of completing this lesson, the learner will be able to:

·      Describe the Advanced Steps ACP stage of planning

·      Identify key features of a POLST Paradigm program

·      Prepare for an Advanced Steps ACP conversation

·      Explore experiences and the concept of living well to identify an individual’s goals, values, fears, and concerns

·      Assist individuals in making treatment decisions consistent with their goals of care

·      Create strategies to ensure the POLST plan is honored

Advanced Steps ACP Facilitator Certification

Lesson Title:

Advanced Steps ACP Facilitator Certification

Lesson Description:

The purpose of this program is to assist participants in learning effective communication and conversation skills and techniques for facilitating person-centered conversations for those living with advanced medical conditions and frailty. These conversations have application for in-person visits and telehealth.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, the participant will be able to:

·         Identify communication skills for facilitating Advanced Steps ACP conversations.

·         Demonstrate beginning competency in facilitating Advanced Steps ACP conversations through role-play activities.

·         Create strategies to transfer individual goals, values and preferences to a written plan.

·         Become certified as an Advanced Steps ACP Facilitator through final competency role-play demonstration.