A module on death and dying to develop empathy in student pharmacists

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Bioethics
• Empathy Studies

Background:

• Bioethics education is crucial for healthcare professionals.
• Understanding death and dying is a key component of patient-centered care.
• Empathy is a vital attribute for effective patient interaction and care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate a death and dying module into a bioethics course.
• To assess the impact of this module on student pharmacists' empathy.
• To evaluate the module's effectiveness in enhancing understanding of end-of-life care.

Main Methods:

• A 5-week module on death and dying was implemented.
• Module content included film analysis, hospice care, and pain management ethics.
• Student empathy was measured using the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES) and reflective essays.

Main Results:

• Fifty-six students completed the module and assessments.
• Reflective essays indicated an appreciation for patient-specific values.
• Quantitative analysis showed a significant increase in BEES scores, indicating improved empathy.

Conclusions:

• The 5-week instructional module effectively increased student pharmacists' empathy.
• Integrating end-of-life care topics enhances essential professional skills.
• This approach provides a model for improving empathy in bioethics education.