Case study:

01 July 2010

Nurse-verification of death: An e-learning resource

Key points

In partnership with NHS North Somerset and Weston Hospice Care, the University of the West of England (UWE) has developed an online learning resource to help nurses verify expected and unexpected death.

The project, which would allow nurses to make use of the online learning at any time, was successfully piloted in North Somerset and is now freely available to support competency development for all nurses. This should mean that many people will not need to wait to have death verified by a medical practitioner.

The project was a response to the planned reduction in out of hours community services and the need to facilitate timely verification of death for those bereaved. Financed by the Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Community SIFF (Strategic Service Improvement Fund) Fund, a project team was set up consisting of nurse academics, a palliative care community nurse specialist, a GP, a commissioner, and University IT specialists and the preparations for the pilot were completed within four months.

The aim is to give free and unlimited access to all UWE partnership trusts and organisations. But nurses will need to have time to access the resource and subsequently to gain clinical support for initial practice.

The online learning tool outlines clearly the professional, legal and clinical context of unexpected death verification by nurses. It contains a range of information and links to develop the knowledge and understanding of the generic worker. It involves assessment of knowledge and practice as well as offering users the chance to provide feedback through UWE partnership networks.

The same template could be used to develop other competency development resources, accessible within the workplace or home, such as, for example, advance care planning.