top of page
misty-landscape-with-fir-forest-hipster-vintage-retro-style.jpg

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION COURSES

Our courses are offered as stacked in-person seminars or individually as webinars, depending on your institution's needs and location.

​

We offer four unique, interactive courses designed to help students learn how to create a meaningful End-of-Life Care experience that families won't soon forget (for all the right reasons!). 

​

Please use the contact form or email us at info@theartofgoodbye.ca to inquire about Educational Institution courses.

TAOGS01

Stacked In-Person Seminar A

This seminar was designed for both RVT and VA students. It includes the following courses:

​

  • Compassionate Communication Strategies (TAOG03)

  • The Team Approach to End-of-Life Care (TAOG07)

TAOGS02

Stacked In-Person Seminar B

This seminar was designed for RVT students only. It includes the following courses:

​

  • Helping Families Know When It's Time (TAOG06)

  • Navigating End-of-Life Care Challenges (TAOG04)

TAOG03

Compassionate Communication Strategies

End-of-Life Care Communication is VERY different from the way we communicate with clients on a daily basis. We must learn this “new language” to better serve families on the hardest day of a pet owner's life.

​

This course was designed to help you develop your End-of-Life Care communication skills. Better communication improves the End-of-Life Care experience for the patient, the family, and the Care Provider. 

 

This course is accredited by the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (OAVT) 

​

The Compassionate Communication Strategies course covers the following subjects:

 

  • Developing an understanding of how to convey compassion as you communicate with a grieving family.

  • Learning how judging a family's End-of-Life Care decision creates communication barriers and increases the care provider’s risk for burden transfer and burnout.

  • Learning the do’s and don'ts of End-of-Life Care communication.

  • Exploring body language's role in End-of-Life Care communication and learning the do’s and don'ts of body language.

  • Discovering non-verbal ways of creating a warm and compassionate atmosphere.

  • Developing strategies for navigating End-of-Life Care communication challenges.

TAOG07

The Team Approach to End-of-Life Care

A great End-of-Life Care experience requires a team effort! Gone are the days when a family has a half-hearted greeting from a busy staff member and then waits in the reception area for their pet's End-of-Life Care. Families are demanding more, and we are here to help.

 

This course outlines the importance of a team approach and teaches students easy-to-implement techniques for creating a warm and compassionate experience. Students will learn that a meaningful death starts when the family makes the dreaded “call” and builds from there. Students will examine why the responsibility falls on every team member to ensure that the worst day of a pet owner's life is just a little bit easier.

 

The Team Approach to End-of-Life Care course covers the following subjects:

​

  • Why compassionate communication should be a team effort.

  • Why paperwork and payment should be done ahead of time.

  • Strategic booking for End-of-Life Care.

  • The role our team members play in a good death.

  • Why everyone matters.

  • The importance of having a sign.

  • Don’t make them wait.

  • The importance of offering privacy.

  • Why less is more.

TAOG06

Helping Families Know When It's Time

One of the toughest questions a pet owner faces is: How will I know when it's time?

 

This course was designed to help your students learn how to provide a thorough quality of life assessment to assist families during this delicate time.

 

The Helping Families Know When It's Time course covers the following subjects:

​

  • ​Discover what a quality of life scale is and how to use one.

  • Learn how to identify pain in chronically ill patients.

  • Discuss the importance of having families track their pets' good days and bad days.

  • Explore why we encourage quality of life over quantity of time for our hospice patients.

  • Develop an understanding of anticipatory grief and how it impacts the family.

  • Review resources available to support families during this time.

TAOG04

Navigating End-of-Life Care Challenges

Families now have higher expectations than ever for their pet's End-of-Life Care experience. This course is designed to help your students navigate the challenges that arise during End-of-Life Care appointments and improve the experience for the patient, the family, and themselves.


Students will discover the most modern sedation protocols along with tips and tricks for achieving MUZZLE-FREE sedation for all patients! They will be prepared to gracefully navigate any and all challenges that arise during End-of-Life Care.

​

This course is accredited by the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (OAVT) 

 

The Navigating End-of-Life Care Challenges course covers the following subjects:

 

  • Discovering the difference profound sedation makes for the patient, family, and care provider.

  • Basic sedation protocols for End-of-Life Care.

  • Learning when to deviate from standard protocols.

  • Effective oral sedation options.

  • Learning when to involve the family.

  • Discovering how to achieve muzzle-free sedation for all patients.

  • Tips and tricks for distracting patients for sedation.

  • What to do when you can't secure a vein.

  • Common reasons a patient won't fall asleep and what to do.

  • Seizures: what to do when a patient has a seizure and how to reassure the family.

  • Handling aggressive patients you weren't prepared for.

  • Respiratory distress, patient handling, and family education.

  • Edema in the limbs.

  • Reassuring the nervous family.

  • Handling an angry family member.

bottom of page