Integration of Palliative Care in the Role of the Oncology Advanced Practice Nurse

Numerous organizations have cited the increasing demand for palliative care in oncology and the challenge of a limited workforce to deliver specialty palliative care. Advanced practitioners in oncology can provide generalist or primary palliative care to complement the care provided by specialists and enhance the overall provision of care. This article reports on a National Cancer Institute-funded training program to prepare advanced practice nurses to incorporate palliative care within their practice. One-year follow-up of the first three national cohorts (N = 276) included evaluation of goal achievement as these nurses integrated palliative care within their oncology practice. Goal analysis reported here demonstrates the success of the training program in impacting practice as well as the barriers to implementation efforts. The advanced practice registered nurses' implemented goals included extensive training of clinicians across disciplines and numerous systems changes to improve delivery of palliative care. Advanced practice nurses will continue to be a valuable source of extending palliative care into oncology care to support patients and families across the disease trajectory.