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5. IP6010 Care of the Dying Patient, Grief and Bereavement

Course Fact File

Code	IP6010
Duration	9 November 2026 - 17 January 2027
Teaching Mode	Part-Time. See Additional Teaching Mode Information for more info.
Qualifications	CPD Module
Fees	€1,040 See Fees and Costs for full details.
Closing Date	28 August 2026
Credits	10

Outline

Module Goal:
To enable students to recognise when patients are dying and to identify the key components of holistic care at end of life and during bereavement for patients and their families.

Module Content:
This module introduces the concept of death and dying and the implications for patients, their families and the healthcare professionals involved in their care. The identification and physical care of the dying patient will be explored, with additional reference to the ethical, legal, and cultural considerations of end-of-life care. Models of grief, loss and bereavement will be examined, including complicated grief reactions. There will be an emphasis on the importance of collaboration with patients, families and other members of the interdisciplinary team in the care of dying patients. Support services for patients and families at risk of complicated grief will be discussed, with particular reference to the support of families (including children and vulnerable adults) whilst the patient is still alive.

Additional Teaching Mode Information

Teaching Methods:

40 x1 hr(s) online asynchronous (any time learning) activities.

1 x 2 hr(s) online asynchronous (live) activities – 18/11/26 from 19.00 – 21.00 hr.

1 x 8 hr(s) workshops – 09/12/26 from 09.00 – 17.00 hr.

 

Learning Methods:

150 hours autonomous student activities.

52 hours directed learning. 

 

Practicalities

Why Choose

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. Recognise when a patient is dying based on end-of-life indicators and, where relevant to professional background, the application of knowledge of disease trajectories and prognostication.
2. Describe the common issues (e.g. physical, psychological, social, spiritual, emotional, ethical, cultural, legal) that may arise for patients and/or families during the last weeks and days of life.
3. Identify risk and resilience factors and indicators of complicated grief and situations in which specialist support may be required.
4. Enable the person with a life-threatening illness and their family members to articulate their priorities, feelings, wishes and concerns relating to illness, loss and death.
5. Appraise theories of loss, grief and bereavement and their application to clinical practice in palliative care.
6. Appreciate the potential impact of personal experience of death, dying, loss, grief and bereavement on healthcare professionals providing care to dying patients and their families.
7. Evaluate the impact of multidisciplinary team working, debriefing and self-care strategies for individual healthcare professionals and teams working with patients at end of life.

Requirements

Candidates must have:

• A primary degree or an equivalent experience in a relevant health care discipline* to be approved by the Programme Team.
• Registration or eligibility for registration with the appropriate professional healthcare registration body.
• Ideally, candidates should have a minimum of one-year post qualification experience in healthcare provision.
• A relevant health care discipline includes, but is not limited to medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, audiology physiotherapy, psychology, and social studies.

All applicants are required to complete an application form and provide evidence of current professional registration.

Students must meet the UCC Student IT Requirements 

Fees and Costs

The programme fee is €1,040 (full fee payable on application). 

How To Apply

During your online application you will be required to upload the following documents:

1. Academic Transcript (if not a previous UCC graduate)
2. Proof of identity (Birth Certificate, Passport, Driver's Licence)
3. Passport Style Photo
4. English Language Test Report (if applicable)
5. Full fee payment

To Apply for this course please follow the steps below:

1. Create and account/login to UCC Apply by clicking the Apply Online button below.
2. Start a new application - you must choose Adult & Continuing Education
3. On the tab Academic Level, select the following options:
   • Academic Level: Adult Continuing Education (ACE at UCC)
   • Course Type:  CPD Credit-Bearing Modules
   • Academic Programme: Care of the Dying Patient, Grief and Bereavement (IP6010)

Apply Now