The challenges healthcare workers are facing with COVID-19 are not normal. Across the country, staff are incredible strain and supporting people to die well in this context is an enormous challenge. But, you can make a difference to the experience of end-of-life care for each individual person and their family right.
This material was developed through the acute COVID-19 pandemic phase. While circumstances have changed, it remains here as a record of that time.
Resource pages
Advance Care Planning for health and social care professionals
Useful tips to support you to have meaningful conversations and learn what matters most to the people you are caring for.
Useful links for health and social care workers
Reliable and up to date information on COVID-19 for those working in healthcare in Ireland.
COVID-19 resource guide
Our librarian has collated up-to-date information on COVID-19 including government, national and international healthcare resources.
FAQs about Palliative Care
Common questions and answers about palliative care including providers, access and costs.
Resources to download
Supporting the family
There is no doubt that restrictive visiting policies can negatively impact on the end-of-life care experience for patients and their families. This may lead to heightened feelings of upset and anger, abandonment and isolation, confusion, fear and a sense of being out of control. This document offers guidance for healthcare staff to keep the communication channels open while visiting in person is prohibited.
Supporting the patient
During the pandemic, patients in isolation are relying on healthcare workers for human connection like never before. If you’re wearing PPE, your body language, tone of voice and eye contact are so important. This document offers practical advice on how to maintain contact despite the challenges of PPE.
When Someone You Care About is Dying in Hospital: What to Expect
If someone you care about is dying in hospital, this document may help you to know what to expect in the last days and hours of their life. We understand this is an emotional and challenging time for you. We hope this information will help to make this time a little easier.
Self care and supporting your colleagues: tips for healthcare workers
The COVID-19 crisis is incredibly difficult for all of us; it is more important than ever to work together, support each other and be kind to ourselves. It’s changing the way we work and we can’t always do everything we want to, especially in end-of-life care. Here are some tips you may find useful to support yourself and your colleagues at this challenging time
End-of-life care planning for health and social care workers
This document provides useful tips about end-of-life care planning in these exceptional times when conversations about end of life can be very difficult. It will support you to have meaningful conversations with residents, patients and service users as part of the end-of-life care planning process for each person.
Delivering Bad News
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, there may be situations where you have to deliver bad news to a person and their family. How you communicate the news is really important. This video will provide you with guidance on how to deliver this type of news well.
Factsheet: 5 Steps to Delivering Bad News
Our 5 step framework factsheet has been designed for you to download, print, and use when you have to deliver this type of news.
