Board Certified End of Life Doula

BOARD CERTIFIED END OF LIFE DOULA - CANDIDATES MUST HAVE COMPLETED CERTIFICATION COURSE

Job Title/Position: Board Certified End of Life Doula

Reports To: Clinical Director

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The End of Life Doula is a non-medical professional who is trained to help those nearing the end of their lives with their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Death doulas work with the dying and their families to ensure comfort and ease during what can be a difficult process.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide non-medical, non-judgmental support and guidance to patients and families/caregivers in the hospice program through times of critical, transformative life change.
2. Nurture, inform, support, guide, empower and comfort patients and families/caregivers.
3. Collaborate with other caregivers and members of the interdisciplinary group.
4. Provide support that is focused on, and adapted to, the unique needs and requirements of each patient/family/caregiver served.
5. Offer education and research services to keep loved ones informed 
6. Assist with handling arrangements
7. Help the patient/family/caregiver reach common ground, so the end of life aligns as well as possible with their wishes.
8. Are present before and during the patient’s passing to provide a sense of comfort, companionship, and support.
9. Supports the family/caregiver after their loved one has passed to ensure arrangements are in order, and everyone gets the space they deserve to grieve.
10. Provides logistical support. Including setting up schedules for shopping, errands, pet care, child care, transportation, meal preparation, other household tasks.
11. Helps patients/families/caregivers get their affairs in order and saying goodbye.
12. Organizes important information that will be needed after the death, including notifying key people, writing an obituary, etc.
13. Assists with Life review/legacy work.
14. Helps planning for final disposition (e.g., burial, cremation, organ donation, etc.).
15. Advocates and mediates to ensure dying person’s wishes are honored
16. Provides emotional, social, spiritual support for the dying patient/family/caregivers.
17. Provides non-medical comfort measures for the dying person and/or family (stress reduction, music therapy, aromatherapy, reiki, healing touch, etc.).
18. Provides respite, companionship, and sitting vigil.
19. Offers guidance for after-death care of the body.
20. Provides after-death support, notifications, communicating with funeral directors, and others.
21. Creates rituals or ceremonies, and memorial service planning.
22. Offers grief support.
23. Maintains records of services provided. 

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

1. Possesses an End of Life Doula certificate from a training program.
2. Hospice experience preferred
3. Understands hospice philosophy
4. Must be a licensed driver with an automobile that is insured in accordance with state/or organization requirements and is in good working order. 
5. Ability to accept different lifestyles, cultures, beliefs, and values.