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Patients with life limiting illnesses can be found in almost all areas of health care. Nurses who work across the health system can find themselves in clinical situations where palliative care knowledge is needed, even if they are not ‘specialist’ nurses. This kind of palliative approach to nursing care is delivered everywhere that patients can be found, such as in community care, surgical units and emergency departments.

You may wish to find out more about the nursing care of patients with life limiting illnesses, or you may want to work or study in palliative care.

Resources

• The Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (PEPA) is a free workforce placement scheme funded by the Department of Health and Ageing.
• The Palliative Care Nurses Australia (PCNA) website has information on palliative care nursing
• The Royal College of Nursing Australia has a position statement on the role of the nurse in palliative care 
• The Macmillan Cancer Support website provides information on the role of Macmillan nurses, who specialise in improving the lives of people with cancer in the United Kingdom (UK)
• The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association of America has a position statement on the roles of nursing assistants and the professional nurse in end-of-life care
• Information from the palliativeinfo website in the US: Perspectives on Hospice Palliative Care 
• The International Council of Nurses has a position statement on palliative care 
• Palliative Care Australia has a searchable database of palliative care services

Working or studying in palliative care?

CareSearch has details on short courses and University courses as well as information about web based learning.

Related CareSearch pages

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General Resources

Free Full Text Article

O'Connor M, Chapman Y. The palliative care clinical nurse consultant: an essential link. Collegian. 2008;15(4):151-7.

References

• O'Connor M. Understanding the influence of palliative care nursing: a global perspective. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2009 Jul;15(7):316-7.
• Geoghan DA. Understanding palliative nursing care. J Pract Nurs. 2008 Spring;58(1):6-9; quiz 10-1.
• Barnard A, Hollingum C, Hartfiel B. Going on a journey: understanding palliative care nursing. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2006 Jan;12(1):6-12.

Return to Nurses Providing Palliative Care page

Last updated 14 March 2012