Introduction and Resources
The process of developing a comprehensive list of core competencies is a dynamic one that relies on the vast knowledge and experience of the larger doula community. This list is in no way meant to be exhaustive of everything that goes into EOL doula and after-death work; rather, it is a starting point to identify the most critical areas of knowledge and skill. We invite you to provide feedback to help us improve content as we find our way in this burgeoning and exciting field, with an eye to providing consistent, quality standards for all doulas now and in the future.
To help doulas and educators prepare for the EOL Doula Proficiency Badge Assessment, we have developed several materials that are free to access.
- Study Guide for End-of-Life Doulas: Designed for doulas who wish to know what will be covered on the assessment, and for trainers to integrate into their own teaching syllabus.
- Selected Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs): CoPs are guidelines for hospices to follow in order to receive Medicare coverage for patients in their care. Although they do not apply directly to doulas who are not currently eligible to be paid by Medicare through hospices for their services, we believe that doulas will benefit from knowing more about the hospice system.
- Sample Patient Bill of Rights for EOL Doulas: The Affordable Care Act mandates that each medical business or discipline provide its patients with a Patient’s Bill of Rights. There is no one standard; it is up to each business to design its own within certain guidelines. We have developed this bill of rights for use by doulas who wish to add it to their informational materials. It is voluntary, not required.
We suggest that end-of-life doula trainers explain NEDA’s mission to their students and make the above documents available to them. There are many doula training organizations throughout the US that have their individual strengths, philosophies, and teaching styles; no one organization is the definitive source. Students will want to know that they are well-prepared to become a doula, and those already in practice may want to fill any potential gaps in their understanding of what a doula is and does. We anticipate that as more hospice and palliative care organizations become aware of what doulas are and do, they will want to know that each doula possesses a certain body of knowledge and skills. The purpose of NEDA is to be a neutral group of doulas and educators who have come to a consensus on the definition of an EOL doula.
As a trainer, please help us by educating your students, spreading the word about the work of NEDA, and sharing your thoughts with us.