Professional Standards and the Role of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in Hospice and Palliative Care

Abstract

Palliative care aims to optimize quality of life and reduce physical, psychological, social, and spiritual suffering for people living with serious and life-threatening illness throughout the life span. There are different educational pathways to becoming an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and a range of areas in which APRNs may specialize, including hospice and palliative care. National guidelines and professional standards have been developed to guide the delivery of high-quality palliative care and to demonstrate the need for all nurses to be competent in providing primary palliative care. Advanced practice registered nurses are well poised to integrate palliative care standards into their practice in a variety of settings and in myriad ways including clinical care, program development, leadership, education, and advocacy. This article is the first in a series that will highlight the different roles of the hospice and palliative care APRN, including the doctor of nursing practice, clinical nurse specialist, pediatric APRN, adult/gerontology APRN, and community-based APRN in a variety of settings throughout the country.