These professionals perform tasks of psychosocial and clinical care and accompaniment to the person who manifests some terminal illness or is in a situation of prolonged hospitalization.

In order to carry out their work, they coordinate with the rest of the professionals who take care of the person, as well as with their relatives or closest environment, and offer them support and advice to create a psychologically favourable climate within the care process or the accompaniment process at the end of life.

They carry out their functions in health centres, social institutions or in the person's home.

• Apply an integrative model of intervention according to the protocols and guidelines of the health centre, social institution or home where these professionals provide their services.
• Accompany the person throughout the process and monitor his/her condition.
• Establish pain control systems and other symptoms that affect the psychological and emotional state of the patient, as well as their clinical condition.
• Establish guidelines for the rest of the professionals who intervene with the patient (other care work professionals) in order to adjust to the intervention model and promote a positive environment.

• Diagnose and identify the person's character and personality in order to calibrate his/her pain tolerance and acceptance of his/her situation.
• Inform the person about the evolution of his/her physical state and the changes that he/she will experience psychologically and emotionally, according to the previous diagnosis in order to balance the synergy between both states.
• Inform about the person's condition to relatives and give guidelines for behaviour to promote a psychologically positive environment.

• Identify and collect the person's living will.
• Anticipate the relatives and related professionals' burnout (stress syndrome) and advise them on the possible emotional control.
• Guide and advise in the decision-making process about the end of life with the person or with his/her environment.
• Inform and communicate about the death of the persona and give emotional support during the acceptance process.

• Practice relaxation techniques.
• Train prophylactic distancing strategies in their bonds with people they care for.

Regulated training and graduates

• Grau: Infermeria
• Grau: Fisioteràpia
• Grau: Psicologia
• Grau: Teràpia ocupacional
• Grau: Treball social
• Grau: Educació social
• Grau: Medicina

Complementary training

Specific training in terms of care for people in the terminal phase, palliative care or accompaniment in the end-of-life process is essential.

Especially in the care work sector it is advisable to do training in grief management in order to adequately deal with the dismissal of the professional towards the user and the breaking of the established links.

Self-control: Level 3

Analytical thought: Level 2

Empathy: Level 4

Communication: Level 2

Flexibility and change management: Level 2

Customer orientation: Level 2

Healthcare

Working to maintain and improve health, as well as physical and mental well-being, is the primary interest of people who are involved in the field of healthcare. Some of the activities in this field include making diagnoses, prescribing treatments and monitoring illnesses and injuries. These activities also include the application of therapeutic treatments (traditional or alternative) with a view to facilitating the physical recovery of those being treated. To carry out these activities, one must have in-depth knowledge of the human body and medicine, in its various specialisations.

Social community worker

Individuals related to the social/community field have an interest in working to improve people's social well-being and quality of life, as well as enhance their integration into their social, family and/or work environment. The professional activities that are common in this field include providing special support and aid to people at risk of social exclusion, designing programmes and implementing resources for the social and cultural stimulation of an area, and acting as mediators for conflict resolution in family, social or interpersonal environments. These activities involve constant interaction with people in order to improve their psychological and social well-being.

Technical of therapies with animals

Osteopath

Home Telecare

Naturopath

Acupuncture specialist

• Work hours

  Full-time job, especially subject to rotating shifts in the event that this professional works in a health centre, a social institution or home care services.

• Salary

  Depending on professional qualifications, this ranges between 21,000 and 36,000 Euros gross per annum.

• Professional category

  Technician