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What is Palliative Care Nursing?

Palliative Care Nursing is a multidisciplinary field in nursing that specializes in the  medical care of patients with serious illnesses.  A Palliative Care Nursing practitioner will be trained in a variety of means to help provide relief from pain, stress, anxiety, physical stress, and mental stress to improve the quality of a patient’s life.  In the medical community, palliative care is also commonly referred to as symptom management, supportive care, or comfort care.

Palliative care is provided to individuals with a serious life threatening or life-limiting illness.  Care is provided holistically to help not just a patient's disease but rather the whole person in psychological, physical, emotional, and spiritual domains.  The goal with palliative care is the treat and prevent the known side-effects and symptoms of a disease.  Patients may be treated in a formal medical setting such as hospital or outpatient clinic or in an in-home setting under the direction of a licensed medical physician.

Career Summary

MEDIAN SALARY

$75,030

PERCENT ABOVE NATIONAL
INCOME AVERAGE

50.60%

TOTAL SECTOR EMPLOYMENT

56,210

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best Palliative Care Nursing Degree

New York University offers an Advanced Certificate Program in Palliative Care. This program focuses on optimizing quality of life in patients suffering advanced illness. This will provide training for students in assisting both the patients and the families to identify their goals of care at the same time match treatment in order to meet their goals. This program is designed to give emphasis to physical, spiritual and emotional symptom management. This advanced certificate program in Palliative Care can be added to any population nurse practitioner program. 

Acceptance Rate

16.2

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Case Western Reserve University offers qualifying students an array of highly competitive nursing pathways to pursue.  Like many higher education institutions, CWRU provides a primary degree track followed by a set of curriculum that provides specialized courses.  For example, nurse practitioner students are required to select a primary nursing track from the following list of options: pediatrics, neonatology, adult-gerontology, family, psychiatric mental health, or women’s health.  From this meta program, CWRU allows students the ability to choose an academic concentration such as the top ranked palliative care nursing degree program.   

Acceptance Rate

27.36

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

The Palliative Care Nursing degree at UConn is embedded within the university’s top-rated School of Nursing.  The online MS nursing degree programs at UConn include an array of quality programs such as Neonatal Nurse Practitioner to Nurse Educator.  After completing an approved academic track, a nurse practitioner student would then specialize in a defined area of study or choose to retain a more broad-based curricular approach.  This academic approach allows students the latitude to generalize or specialize in a targeted field of study prior to entering the workforce in the dynamic healthcare industry.   

Acceptance Rate

49.42

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

The Department of Medicine at George Washington University hosts a degree in Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine. Their mission is to help improve the health and well-being of elderly persons as well as those with serious illness. Through providing compassionate and skillful multidisciplinary care they are able to live with their goal. This program focuses on what matters most to patients and their families so that they can deliver high quality person-specific care. GW is very proud because they sponsor the first and largest fellowship training program in geriatrics in the Washington metropolitan area at the same time the largest fellowship in palliative medicine. 

Acceptance Rate

40.84

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

The University of Tennessee School of Nursing provides qualified students access to high quality nursing degree programs that span from certificate programs to doctorate-level degrees.  A highly popular option at UT is the BSN-DNP that includes an immersion in a specified field of study while obtaining the requisite knowledge and skills for that particular specialty.  Upon graduation, students may elect to travel out of state or continue a strong relationship with the UT Medical Center where the hospital offers a well-known medical service for Palliative Care

Acceptance Rate

78.85

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Daemen College is located in Amherst, New York and is home to a top-flight School of Nursing program.  The exceptional programs include MS, BS, RNS, and RN programs in addition to certificate programs in nursing.  The school is accredited by the Accredited Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).   Learn more about the nursing degrees at Daemen College today by requesting admissions information and scheduling a visit to the school.  

Acceptance Rate

61.56

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

Grand Valley State University offers an Interprofessional Certificate Palliative and Hospice Care degree designed to prepare those interested in palliative and hospice care. This is suitable for individuals with deep knowledge about the professional, legal, economic and personal perspectives of delivering care to patients with life-limiting disease, terminal illness and death. This program will fill the demand for palliative care clinicians. According to the report given by the 2014 Institute of Medicine, there is a growing need for better palliative care education to meet the goal of high quality and affordable care for persons who suffer life-limiting illness. This certificate program will be the best choice, it will help the students become champions for the delivery of exceptional interprofessional care. 

Acceptance Rate

83.02

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

Madonna University offers an MSN program in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner with Advanced Practice Hospice and Palliative Care degree. Aside from being prepared as an adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, this specialty certification is also designed to further educate students in providing advanced practice hospice/palliative care. Students will be trained to provide holistic care which focuses on disease management, emotional distress, symptom relief, care transitions and loss. Graduates of this program will be ready to become certified by ANCC or AANP in addition to Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse. Moreover, they will also obtain Nurse Practitioner Specialty Certification through the State of Michigan. 

Acceptance Rate

74.6

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

Kent State University is home to the highly regarded School of Nursing.  KSU offers students a full range of exciting nursing programs from certificate programs to graduate-level degree pathways.  The MBA in Nursing Science dual degree is an example of the highly lauded degree programs at Kent State University that has garnered national attention.  Upon completion of the core program, students may elect to specialize in a field of nursing or retain a general study prior to entering the workforce.  In either case, KSU works hard to ensure students are properly equipped to make an immediate impact in any chosen field of work after graduation.     

Acceptance Rate

85.54

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

Pennsylvania State University’ baccalaureate degree program, master’s degree program and Doctor of Nursing Practice Program and even their post graduate APRN certificate program are all accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. This verifies their credibility in providing high quality education. A leading graduate credit certificate in Primary palliative Care is currently offered at PSU. Hosted by Penn State College of Nursing, it prepares individuals with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. This is also suitable for those with a related health discipline in the principles and practice of primary palliative care. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

How To Become a Palliative Care Nurse

In order to become a palliative care nurse or hospice nurse, you will need the proper education and work experience. From an academic and practical standpoint, you will need to have a:

  1. Nursing license in good standing
  2. ADN or BSN degree, or higher (LVN or LPN may work, case-by-case)
  3. Successfully pass the NCLEX examination

Individuals who have worked with geriatric patients, late-stage oncology patients, and/or patients with heart disease are well equipped to become a palliative care nurse. Hospice nurses and palliative care nurses will need possess strong communication skills, attention to detail, and substantive empathy for patients under your care.

Additionally, the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association has stated that many hospice providers will require a year of nursing experience in acute care or demonstrable competency visa vi professional certifications in hospice or palliative care.

Palliative Care Nursing Degrees and Certifications

Accredited colleges and universities offer palliative nursing care degrees and hospice care programs. Make sure to invest the time researching programs within a specific school to learn the most current set of subspecialties for palliative care nursing by visiting any of the schools listed below.

These Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) programs are most often offered as a specialty within a colleges nursing school at different levels. For example, specialties for palliative care nursing within a Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) program can include programs like:

  • Adult Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner in Palliative Care
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist-Adult Health
  • Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Acute Care Nurse Practitioner - Hospice & Palliative Care Specialties
  • Advanced Practice Adult Oncology & Palliative Care
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

 

In terms of certifications, a number of different options exist for hospice care nurses and palliative care nurses. The Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) offers 7 different types of certifications including:

  1. Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN)
  2. Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN)
  3. Certified Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN)
  4. Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse (CHPLN)
  5. Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant (CHPNA)
  6. Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Administrator (CHPCA)
  7. Certified in Perinatal Loss Care (CPLC)

Palliative care nursing certification and hospice nursing certification is valid for 4 years and renewal of the certification requires a specific number of points or hours be earned via professional development activities or approved work settings.

Palliative Care Nursing Education Requirements

In terms of educational requirements, a palliative care nurse will be required to take a number of science-based classes. The core curriculum will vary from program to program but will generally include keystone courses to help build a solid foundation for palliative care nurses of all types.

What Will I Learn as a Palliative Care Nurse?

The U.S. Department of Labor recently conducted a study of palliative care nurses and hospice nurses to understand their daily functions and job responsibilities. As such, students and working professionals will need to master the following items to successfully work as a hospice nurse or palliative care nurse.

  • Advocating and educating patients
  • Communicate and navigate end-stage diseases
  • Managing ethical & legal considerations
  • Making community resources available to patients
  • Managing pain & disease symptoms
  • Extend empathy and care to patients and their families of all backgrounds
  • Understanding the practical and psychological aspects of loss & grief
  • Supporting family members with bereavement care
  • Integrating into an interdisciplinary medical care team for the benefit of the patient

Where Do Palliative Care Nurses Work?

Hospice nurses and palliative care nurses work in a broad array of settings depending on where the patient resides. The work settings can include: hospitals, clinics, private homes, nursing facilities, nursing homes, and adult care facilities.

Outside of the home, it is most common to see palliative care nurses working in settings that help treat patients with chronic care issues or where they live. When given the choice, an overwhelming percentage of patients will choose to have palliative nurses come to them in their home in lieu of traveling to a hospital or medical facility.

Employment & Palliative Care Careers

Palliative care nursing is a broad field with various career options. Students earning a nursing degree in palliative care can seek direct-hire employment arrangements or seek similar career paths.

A direct-hire is essentially moving directly from college to a designated employer in a full-time position. Employers typically provide training while in school to help students quickly make the transition from school to work.

Alternatively, palliative care nurses can pursue employment opportunities in similar fields in the healthcare industry. Examples of similar careers requiring similar latent skills include: nursing psychiatry, medical counseling, nursing assistant, RN, occupational therapy, health service manager, EMT, physician assistant, physical therapy, and hospice care.

Palliative Care Nurse Jobs & Salary

Projected job growth for palliative care nurses and hospice care is well above the median average in the U.S.  In fact, the jobs within hospice care are some of the most in-demand jobs in the country for the coming decade.

More specifically, the BLS estimates an aggregate 22% growth or approximately 4 million new jobs created in the next ten years in hospice care.  An aging population with greater access to quality care will result in more services and more service providers in this domain.

Palliative care nurse salary numbers will vary from region to region given the demand, work experience, and employment arrangement.  However, the average palliate care nurse salary is approximately seventy-thousand dollars a year.

Nurse assistants and medical service managers will average $28,540 and $98,350 a year on average respectively.  Dive deep into schools of interest and gather information to help you make a quality decision about your future in healthcare.

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