Comfort & Compassion: Ethics in End of Life Care

Friday May 23, 2003 

Conference Organizers: Provincial Health Ethics Network and Palliative Care Association of Alberta 

Red Deer, Alberta

What issues will this conference explore?


The conference will explore ethical issues that arise in caring for those nearing the end of life.

To view the conference agenda, please click here.


Why are these issues important to address?


Every one of us will at some point be faced with confronting difficult choices about death and dying, whether it be with a patient, a loved one, or ourselves. Perhaps more than at any other time, the process of sorting out one's values, faiths, hopes and dreams, takes on a renewed sense of importance and urgency as one approaches the end of life. Health care providers necessarily play a key role in the decisions made at this time, however it is often very unclear what the right thing to do is, or how to best care for the dying patient.


How can a conference about ethics help?


The conference will assist you in addressing questions such as:

  • What are the particular ethical tensions that arise at the end of life?
  • Who should be making the decisions for the dying patient?
  • How do I talk to patients and families about the dying process and the decisions that need to be made?
  • What can I do to be as supportive as I can to patients and families? 
  • What do I do when patients, families and/or other health care providers are in disagreement about what should be done?
  • What will good advance planning look like and what are the benefits and limitations?
  • How do I help patients and families face death?
  • How do I negotiate adequately treating symptoms of pain while not causing harm to the patient?
  • What sorts of organizational barriers can sometimes get in the way of providing good care to patients?
  • What things should I take into account when making decisions about care for a dying patient?

What is the cost of registration?

  • Early Registration (registration form and payment received BEFORE 5:00 pm on April 30) - $100.00
  • Regular Registration (registration form and payment received AFTER 5:00 PM on April 30) - $125.00
  • Special Reduced Rate (registration form and payment received BEFORE 5:00 PM April 1) - $60.00
    (This special reduced rate is available to those for whom the regular and early registration fees would normally pose a barrier to attending the conference, by reason of economic or other circumstances).

If you are mailing your registration form and payment, please take into consideration the extra time it will take to reach our office as this may affect the category you select.

How do I register?


Download the full conference brochure (pdf format) from here, fill out the registration form, and mail or fax it back to the Provincial Health Ethics Network.

Click here to download the three page conference brochure and registration form (pdf format)