Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

End of Life Care and Support, Career Pathway certificate

This certificate is designed to advance the knowledge and develop the skills of caregivers, aging services professionals, and family members in supporting persons approaching the end of life.

Why choose the End of Life Career Pathway certificate at PCC?

• Easy access (open start) and exit program.
• Online (asynchronous) format, with some optional in-person, live-streamed, and video-recorded class meetings.
• Applied, interactive learning format.
• Faculty expertise both inside the classroom and within the community.

Salary

• Healthcare Aids: $16.54 per hour or $34,421 per year
• Bereavement or Mental Health Counselors: $29.06 per hour or $60,435 per year
• Social Workers: $34.64 per hour or $72,067 per year
• Funeral Directors: $41.66 per hour or $86,657 per year
• Medical and Health Service Managers (Hospice Administrator): $58.19 per hour or $121,027 per year

Award information

Awards with a icon can be earned completely online, or you can choose a mix of online and on-campus classes.

Learn more about Gerontology and all 6 awards available »

What will you learn?

The courses in the End of Life Care and Support certificate train students to:

• Guide family members and dying persons through the end of life process, including social, psychological, medical, financial, legal, and spiritual issues related to care and support.
• Assess and document the care and support needs and assets of the dying person, their family, and social support network; communicate and collaborate with all related parties; and facilitate access to appropriate resources, while working with other professionals and with diverse stakeholders in a coordinated care and support plan, in hospice, long term care, and home environments.
• Apply best practices of person-centered and directed care and support, and adhere to professional and ethical standards in supporting the dying person and working effectively with all stakeholders, including legal, medical, financial, insurance, relevant government programs, and other professionals, as well as family and the dying person’s social support network.

Courses

Course listing for the 2020-2021 catalog year.

What will you do?

End of Life certificate graduates qualify for professions and roles relating to the end of life either in entry-level positions, or in more advanced positions, depending on their prior professional training and experience, and/or academic degrees: