This and Hospice Nursing epitomize what a nurse is. When you meet your pt. you know that they have a limited time. If from the time you meet them to the time they pass you can make their lives more comfortable or the life of their families, then you have achieved what defines a nurse.
Palliative Care gives you the ability to bring comfort to patients with chronic illnesses. Anyone with a chronic illness can technically qualify for Palliative care and the service goes under used. Palliative care gives you an opportunity to connect with families and educate them about their loved one's condition and allow them to provide their loved one the best support after being taught properly. You're a perfect liason to advocate for your patient and ensure that they are already receiving the best of care and remaining the most comfortable.
Rewarding work with practice autonomy. you are part of a team with the patient to walk them from acute care to palliative where the shift becomes quality of life as they continue to adjust out of curative medicine to palliative and then transition into hospice.
I have been a RN for 31 years, 20 year in Hospice care. Once I started Hospice care I never wanted to do anything else.
You develop a very close and intimate relationship with patient and family. This is not just a 9 to 5 job...this is a job that becomes part of who you are. Your patient's well-being is always on your mind.
I’ve never been a palliative/hospice nurse, however I have worked with many, as I’ve had hospice many hospice pts, the families have almost always seemed to love the additional support and education and comfort hospice provides, I love working with hospice patients and hospice care, to help provide comfort to the patient and families, as the families become as much of a patient as the hospice pt.
Palliative care is a highly rewarding field for nurses who are passionate about providing compassionate care to patients with serious illnesses. It is a field that allows nurses to make a significant impact on the lives of patients and their families by helping them manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Palliative care nurses work closely with patients and their families to provide emotional support, pain management, symptom relief, and end-of-life care. They also help patients and their families navigate the complex healthcare system and make informed decisions about their care. Palliative care nurses are highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals who are committed to providing the highest quality of care to their patients. According to the National Cancer Institute, palliative care can help patients and their families cope with the physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges of serious illness. I hope this helps!
I al sue ask the question of what i would want and need if it were my family and went on from there.
It is very rewarding. You can use your nursing skills. You also think outside the box at times.
