Twenty-First Century End-of-Life Issues in Selected U.S. Professional Schools

Abstract

Health professionals often relate to dying and death, but what does their professional training do to prepare them for these often stressful situations? With this question in mind, selected professional schools (medical, nursing, dental, child life, and veterinary) were surveyed to determine their emphasis on end-of-life issues in the 21st century. Return rates ranged from 71 to 100%. With the exception of dental schools, over 96% offer “something” on end-of-life issues. The lecture format and interdisciplinary background of the instructors frequently occur, with medical schools tending to be the most interdisciplinary. Topics covered vary, though attitudes toward death and dying, communication with the family and patient/owner of the animal, social and psychological contexts of dying, the experience of dying, and grief and bereavement are especially often addressed.