Course title: Compassion in Clinical Care

Website (for UoC members only) https://elearn.uoc.gr/course/view.php?id=650

Faculty: Professor C. Lionis, Instructor: A. Markaki

Course code: 2.9

Type of course: Elective 

Level of course: Elementary

Year of study: First

Semester: Spring

Number of credits (ECTS): 1

Course objectives:

1) Introduce the concept of compassion from a historical context and in relation to various healthcare settings

2) Recognize basic human feelings and needs - differentiate compassion from empathy and sympathy  

3) Familiarize with current initiatives and literature in the field

4) Identify obstacles/barriers and facilitators for providing compassionate care both at individual and organizational  level

5) Identify the role of other key issues, such as patient dignity, respect, empowerment

6) Focus on patient as a ‘whole’ person and understand the issues of lack of compassion faced by patients and their families suffering from cancer, Alzheimer’s disease or other terminal conditions. 

Prerequisites: None

Course contents: 

• Definition of compassion - differentiation from empathy and sympathy
• Ways to teach and demonstrate compassion
• Characteristics of compassionate care
• Barriers/facilitators to compassionate care – sustaining compassion long term
• Benefits/risks of compassionate care – effect on health professionals – difference between burnout and compassion fatigue
• Settings and groups of patients where compassionate care is mostly needed – ways of demonstrating

Recommended reading: as posted in the course website   
 

Teaching methods: lectures, interactive workshops, clinical workshops

Assessment methods: class participation, workshop notes, written examination

Language of instruction: Greek (reading and audiovisual material mostly in English)

Last update: 7/3/2016