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Nursing Best Practices, 3-Part Series

Open-Access Resource
(If you found this video useful, we welcome a Donation of $20
to help with our production expenses.)

If you would like to receive 1 unit of CME/CE credit and
a certificate for this session, please watch all three videos, complete all three pre-tests, post-tests, and evaluations, and then
pay $20 using the form below.

Part 1: Introduction, and Becoming Eligible for Medical Aid in Dying

Part 1: 29 minutes

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Pre-Test Quiz, Nursing Best Practices, Part 1

Name*
First Last
Degree*
Email*
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
The legally mandated waiting period between the 1st and 2nd verbal request*
- is 20 days in Hawaii and California.
- is 48 hours in all states if the patient is actively dying.
- varies from state to state.
- is 15 days in all states.
In order to proceed, a patient deemed legally eligible for medical aid in dying by their attending provider must*
- have the full agreement of all family members and their care team before they can take the medications.
- make their own final decision to take the medications, with or without input from others.
- promptly fill the prescription and have the medications delivered, but can decide later if or when they want to take them.
- wait until their medical team assesses that they are within 48 hours of dying.
Terminally ill patients who are interested in medical aid in dying must*
- make a first verbal request followed by a second verbal request after the legally mandated waiting period.
- obtain agreement from their family members before they can proceed.
- have a plan for when they will take the medications in order to receive the prescription.
- have a consulting doctor who confirms that they are not depressed.
Nurses are legally allowed to (select the answer that is not true)*
- refer patients to doctors who can prescribe or consult for medical aid in dying.
- discuss medical aid in dying with patients.
- prepare the aid-in-dying medications, but the patient must self-administer them.
- delay the patient from taking the medications if they have not yet had adequate palliative care.

Post-Test Quiz, Nursing Best Practices, Part 1

Name*
First Last
Degree*
Email*
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
The legally mandated waiting period between the 1st and 2nd verbal request*
- is 20 days in Hawaii and California.
- is 48 hours in all states if the patient is actively dying.
- varies from state to state.
- is 15 days in all states.
In order to proceed, a patient deemed legally eligible for medical aid in dying by their attending provider must*
- have the full agreement of all family members and their care team before they can take the medications.
- make their own final decision to take the medications, with or without input from others.
- promptly fill the prescription and have the medications delivered, but can decide later if or when they want to take them.
- wait until their medical team assesses that they are within 48 hours of dying.
Terminally ill patients who are interested in medical aid in dying must*
- make a first verbal request followed by a second verbal request after the legally mandated waiting period.
- obtain agreement from their family members before they can proceed.
- have a plan for when they will take the medications in order to receive the prescription.
- have a consulting doctor who confirms that they are not depressed
Nurses are legally allowed to (select the answer that is not true)*
- refer patients to doctors who can prescribe or consult for medical aid in dying.
- discuss medical aid in dying with patients.
- prepare the aid-in-dying medications, but the patient must self-administer them.
- delay the patient from taking the medications if they have not yet had adequate palliative care.
Certification*
- I certify that I have spent at least 20 minutes to watch this video and answer the pre- and post-test quizzes to obtain 0.33 units of credit (applicable after completing the other 2 parts of this course).

Course name and/or topic(Required)

Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

This course provided me with the information I was seeking.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The learning objectives were met by the presentation.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The instructor demonstrated thorough knowledge of the subject matter.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The amount of instructional material was appropriate for the time allotted.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The presentation was organized and understandable.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The course provided me with practical applications to use in my work.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

Materials (including slides) were appropriate for the course.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The video format was conducive to my learning.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

I was very satisfied with the course(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

Part 2: Monitoring and Preparing Patients

Part 2: 23 minutes

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Pre-Test Quiz, Nursing Best Practices, Part 2

Name*
First Last
Degree (for continuing education)*
Email*
Organization (if applicable)
City and State*
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Once a patient becomes eligible for medical aid in dying, the patient must legally*
- fulfill no other legal requirements.
- check in with the attending doctor weekly until they take the medications.
- personally mix their medications as part of “self-administration.”
- talk with a social worker to be sure no one is coercing them into a decision.
The role of the nurse caring for a patient who is considering aid in dying is to ensure the patient has all of the following except*
- well controlled nausea and/or vomiting.
- confirmed legal capacity to make their own medical decisions.
- continued bowel movements.
- the ability to understand and follow directions.
On the aid-in-dying day, the aid-in-dying laws strongly recommend that the patient should
- have a nurse present except for when they ingest their medications.
- have a doctor present when taking their aid-in-dying medications.
- sign their informed consent form with two witnesses.
- not be alone when taking their aid-in-dying medications.
Nursing best practices include all of the following except*
- establish good contingency plans with the patient and family members.
- ensure family members understand and agree with the patient’s reason for proceeding.
- update the attending prescriber, or their back-up person, regularly.
- assess gastrointestinal and cognitive functions and palliative care needs.

Please do not hit “Submit” until you have answered 3 of 4 questions correctly to receive credit (refresh this page to retake the test). If after clicking “Submit” you are still on the Course page, open the Post-Test Quiz and fill in the missing fields (*). After passing the Quiz, go to Evaluation, then Payment.

Name*
First Last
Degree (for continuing education)*
Email*
Organization (if applicable)
City and State*
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Once a patient becomes eligible for medical aid in dying, the patient must legally*
- fulfill no other legal requirements.
- check in with the attending doctor weekly until they take the medications.
- personally mix their medications as part of “self-administration.”
- talk with a social worker to be sure no one is coercing them into a decision.
The role of the nurse caring for a patient who is considering aid in dying is to ensure the patient has all of the following except*
- well controlled nausea and/or vomiting.
- confirmed legal capacity to make their own medical decisions.
- continued bowel movements.
- the ability to understand and follow directions.
On the aid-in-dying day, the aid-in-dying laws strongly recommend that the patient should
- have a nurse present except for when they ingest their medications.
- have a doctor present when taking their aid-in-dying medications.
- sign their informed consent form with two witnesses.
- not be alone when taking their aid-in-dying medications.
Nursing best practices include all of the following except*
- establish good contingency plans with the patient and family members.
- ensure family members understand and agree with the patient’s reason for proceeding.
- update the attending prescriber, or their back-up person, regularly.
- assess gastrointestinal and cognitive functions and palliative care needs.
Certification*
I certify that I have spent at least 20 minutes to watch this video and answer the pre- and post-test quizzes to obtain 0.33 units of credit (applicable after completing the other 2 parts of this course).

Course name and/or topic(Required)

Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

This course provided me with the information I was seeking.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The learning objectives were met by the presentation.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The instructor demonstrated thorough knowledge of the subject matter.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The amount of instructional material was appropriate for the time allotted.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The presentation was organized and understandable.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The course provided me with practical applications to use in my work.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

Materials (including slides) were appropriate for the course.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The video format was conducive to my learning.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

I was very satisfied with the course(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

Part 3: The Aid-in-Dying Day

Part 3: 22 minutes

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Pre-Test Quiz, Nursing Best Practices, Part 3

Name*
First Last
Degree (for continuing education)*
Email*
Organization (if applicable)
City and State*
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
For patients who have had nausea and vomiting the last few days before taking the aid-in-dying medication, the*
- patient should take 3 anti-nausea pills 1 hour before taking their aid-in-dying medications.
- risk of vomiting aid-in-dying medications is rare and is not of concern.
- risk of vomiting the aid-in-dying medications is too high to proceed.
- patient should swallow the aid-in-dying medications quickly so they fall asleep before they vomit.
The final sedative cocktail tastes bad and has a burning sensation. You should*
- fully inform patients and family members verbally and repeatedly about these sensations.
- provide patients with a written information sheet that explains these sensations.
- keep a small amount of ice-cream at the bedside to cool the patient’s mouth after swallowing the medications.
- administer viscous xylocaine or baking soda to neutralize the taste and burning.
As soon as the patient is unconscious, you can often expect to see (and inform the family to keep them from being surprised)
- seizures.
- complete cessation of all breathing (i.e., apnea).
- intermittent gasping breaths (i.e., agonal breathing).
- paleness of the patient’s face.
In general, once a patient swallows the aid-in-dying medications, death occurs most commonly within*
- 10 to 20 minutes.
- 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- 4 to 8 hours.
- an unknown amount of time because good data does not yet exist.

Please do not hit “Submit” until you have answered 3 of 4 questions correctly to receive credit (refresh this page to retake the test). If after clicking “Submit” you are still on the Course page, open the Post-Test Quiz and fill in the missing fields (*). After passing the Quiz, go to Evaluation, then Payment.

Name*
First Last
Degree (for continuing education)*
Email*
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
State & City. List your organization, if relevant.*
For patients who have had nausea and vomiting the last few days before taking the aid-in-dying medication, the*
- patient should take 3 anti-nausea pills 1 hour before taking their aid-in-dying medications.
- risk of vomiting the aid-in-dying medications is rare and is not of concern.
- risk of vomiting the aid-in-dying medications is too high to proceed.
- patient should swallow the aid-in-dying medications quickly so that they fall asleep before they vomit.
The final sedative cocktail tastes bad and has a burning sensation. You should*
- fully inform patients and family members verbally and repeatedly about these sensations.
- provide patients with a written information sheet that explains these sensations.
- keep a small amount of ice-cream at the bedside to cool the patient’s mouth after swallowing the medications.
- administer viscous xylocaine or baking soda to neutralize the taste and burning.
As soon as the patient is unconscious, you can often expect to see (and inform the family to keep them from being surprised)
- complete cessation of all breathing (i.e., apnea).
- seizures.
- intermittent gasping breaths (i.e., agonal breathing).
- paleness of the patient’s face.
In general, once a patient swallows the aid-in-dying medications, death occurs most commonly within*
- 10 to 20 minutes.
- 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- 4 to 8 hours.
- an unknown amount of time because good data does not yet exist.
Certification*
I certify that I have spent at least 20 minutes to watch this video and answer the pre- and post-test quizzes to obtain 0.33 units of credit (applicable after completing the other 2 parts of this course).

Course name and/or topic(Required)

Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

This course provided me with the information I was seeking.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The learning objectives were met by the presentation.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The instructor demonstrated thorough knowledge of the subject matter.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The amount of instructional material was appropriate for the time allotted.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The presentation was organized and understandable.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The course provided me with practical applications to use in my work.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

Materials (including slides) were appropriate for the course.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

The video format was conducive to my learning.(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

I was very satisfied with the course(Required)

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Does not apply

Once you have completed all 3 Pre- and Post-Test Quizzes and Evaluation forms, PLEASE PAY using the form below for the 1 CE and to receive a certificate. Thank you.

Continuing Education Payment Form

Please pay for your continuing education credit and certificate using the form below. 2023 Conference Sessions, and 2024 or 2025 education videos = $20. All other sessions = $15. Your certificate will be emailed within 2 weeks. Thank you!

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Continuing Education Payment and Certificate

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Email*

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Teaching and supporting best practices for the care of patients considering or completing medical aid in dying.

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