The BWD training has four components that center respectively on the transformation of the
clinician, the patient, the community and the institution.
Four Dimensions of Training in Compassionate End-of-Life Care
1. Transforming the Clinician/Caregiver
ο Clarifying the worldview, values, priorities, knowledge of the clinician
ο Introduction to contemplative interventions, including the neuroscience of attention, insight,
compassion
ο Cultivating the development of moral sensitivity and compassion-based ethics
ο Teaching clinicians strategies supporting clinician well-being
2. Transforming the Patient
ο Exploring the relevance of patients’ social, cultural, psycho-spiritual issues
ο Addressing issues of pain/suffering/total pain of patients
ο Explicating peri-death phenomena, including active dying and care of the body after death
ο Outlining dimensions of grief, including anticipatory, acute and chronic grief
3. Transforming the Community
ο Defining an approach to caregiving that is compassion-based
ο Giving strategies for compassionate communication around end-of-life issues
ο Fostering compassion-based inter-professional relationships and team development
ο Cultivating a whole community that includes the clinical team and all those in the network of
the dying person
4. Transforming the Institution
ο Exploring ethical issues, processes and policies that affect the dying person
ο Developing strategies for implementing compassion-based care in clinician training
ο Outlining applications of compassion-based care, with a neuroscience rationale
ο Instituting research initiatives in compassion-based care
Faculty and Components of the BWD Training Program
The training is taught by a renowned inter-professional faculty team modeling six dimensions:
collaboration, inclusiveness, respect, mutuality, compassion and requisite diversity.
The team includes: two contemplatives, from the Zen and Tibetan traditions (both of these
contemplatives have a non-sectarian approach); two physicians: an oncologist who is a
communications expert and a palliative care physician; two doctoral prepared nurses: one who
470
Components of the BWD Training
