Advanced Steps ACP Intensive Facilitator Course

The Advanced Steps (AS) ACP Intensive Facilitator course is meant to provide information and skill for the Facilitator who assists adults in this target population to identify the patient’s goals for care while contributing to the enhancement of end-of-life quality of care.

During the course education and role-playing assist attendees in learning communication techniques to promote person centered ACP conversations and how to create clear, customized advance directives to guide clinical decision making.

This course is appropriate for those individuals who have taken the Core Component Course (CCC) or has previously been certified in one of the Respecting Choices® Facilitator courses. If previous training is over two years ago, it is recommended you attend the CCC course as a refresher.

Suggested Attendees to the AS Facilitator Course

Typically, healthcare clinicians and others directly interested in assisting individuals with serious illness or frailty identify their goals for care and make healthcare decisions to help reach their defined goals.

Objectives of AS Facilitator courses

1. Describe the goals of Advanced Steps ACP, a POLST Paradigm program.
2. Identify communication skills for facilitating Advanced Steps ACP conversations.
3. Identify skills to assist individuals in making informed treatment decisions that include discerning goals for care aligning with specific treatment decisions.
4. Demonstrate beginning competency in facilitating Advanced Steps ACP conversations through role-play activities.
5. Become certified as an Advanced Steps ACP Facilitator through final competency role-play demonstration.

Respecting Choices^® required components for certification

Registration for this course certification includes completion of the following:

• Respecting Choices^® Advanced Steps online curriculum, modules 1-5
• Attendance and completion of the classroom course
• Demonstration of competency in delivering facilitation of the AS Conversation

CHS standards include:

The day of training focuses solely on Facilitator education and skill development. Additional information and mentoring greatly enhances the comfort and skill level of a new Facilitator. These additional components have proven to be very effective and are therefore included in the registration fee and process of certification.

• Attendance to the 1-hour Prep for Training Webinar held prior to the 6.5-hour course
• Submission for review and feedback of a completed practice advance directive (AD) used in your location (CHS endorses Making Choices Michigan’s community developed Advance Directive) to improve the document’s usage when needed
  • This is included for your knowledge and skill as not all patients will have completed an advance directive naming a Patient Advocate prior to an AS conversation
• Minimally 1-3 practice conversations prior to final observed role-play for certification as appropriate
• Demonstration of ability to customize and complete wishes on appropriate documents (MI-POST, Out-of-Hospital Do-not-Resuscitate (OOH-DNR] forms and DPOAH document if appropriate)
• Attendance to the 1-hour “Closing the Loop” Webinar following completion of 6.5-hour course
• Recommended attendance to 30-60 min webinar 1/month following AS Facilitator certification to participate in an opportunity to share with other facilitators and obtain additional mentoring

CHS’s Commitment to Facilitators

CHS AS Instructors remain available for questions and ongoing mentoring opportunities to certified AS Facilitators throughout their participation in this role

Pricing

Facilitator course costs are variable dependent on prior training of attendees, if any. Cost will be determined and provided through the Facilitator Course request process prior to registration and submission of payment.  All classes are currently held virtually and in-person as requested.

Upcoming Advanced Steps Facilitator Course dates:

• May 2, 2023, Virtual
• May 18, 2023, Virtual
• May 25, 2023, Virtual
• June 6, 2023, Virtual
• June 8, 2023, Virtual