Caring for Others Specialization

Caring for the vulnerable is one of the unique traits of human beings. Indeed, so dependent are we on this special capacity that without it, our species would not exist. This specialization examines how society cares for its at-risk members and the experiences of its caregivers. This specialization addresses questions such as: How much suffering is in the world today? Does digital media sensitize or desensitize us to the anguish of distant others? What are the different types of paid care work? Is there a care deficit? How do care workers manage their emotions? And what would it take to build a future of care? This specialization is relevant not only to individuals interested in becoming a helping professional but to anyone hoping to improve and better understand the human condition.
This specialization may be completed for nursing continuing professional development contact hours. The University of Colorado College of Nursing is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Colorado Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This offering for a maximum of 37.5 contact hours is provided by the University of Colorado College of Nursing Office of Continuing Education. Each course provides 12.5 contact hours.
A portion of the proceeds from this specialization will be used to create paid internships for CU Boulder students pursuing careers in the helping professions.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• Develop language to describe the experience of being a care worker, the recipient of care, and/or certain concepts to talk about care
• Identify caring professions, describe the motivations for entering caring professions, and identify pathways into caring professions.
• Understand the individual experience of suffering and care in a larger social context
• Develop a deeper appreciation of the centrality of care in human society