NHPCO NewsLine March 2014 - (Page 14)

From the NCHPP Clinical and Operations Management Section* Integrating T Palliative Care Education into Nursing Curricula he number of palliative care programs across the country has increased significantly in recent years, and much progress has been made in the development of palliative care standards. That said, palliative care education in many of our nation's medical institutions has not kept pace. Disparities exist between standards of practice in palliative care, the delivery of quality palliative care, and the curriculum offered by key entryto-practice academic programs - most notably, nursing education programs. By Niamh van Meines, MS, ANP-BC, OCN, LMT This article discusses some of the known barriers, and how hospice palliative care professionals can help fill this increasingly critical education gap. Some of the Barriers As many members know firsthand, effective symptom management at the end of life is a key quality of care indicator, yet symptoms often go unrecognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated. Nurses outside the hospice field report that they neither feel competent nor confident in establishing a plan of care for symptom management.1 Studies in nursing education also show that students experience significant discomfort when dealing with death and dying, confounded further by personal experiences that guide the student's perception about the end of life. Lack of expertise in palliative care among the nursing faculty in academic institutions has also been highlighted by the Institute of Medicine in its report on the future of nursing.2 Advocacy for the inclusion of comprehensive curricula in palliative care in academic programs requires faculty support and involvement, generated by clinicians invested in the palliative care field. Of note is the challenge that faces faculty who, like many of the students they teach, are not experienced in the care of the dying. Despite these barriers, the future of nursing care requires that nurses develop skills and *The National Council of Hospice and Palliative Professionals (NCHPP) is comprised of 15 discipline-specific sections that represent the staff and volunteers who work for NHPCO provider-members. To learn more about this NCHPP Section, visit the NHPCO website. 14 NHPCO NewsLine http://www.nhpco.org/membership/national-council-hospice-and-palliative-professionals

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine March 2014

Gaining a Competitive Edge
A Message From Don
NHPCO 2014 Webinars (display ad)
Billing for Pediatric Palliative Care
Integrating PC Education into Nursing Curricula
Deborah Goodman on Being First!
First-ever Global Atlas of Palliative Care
New Display Ad to Help Recognize Hospice Volunteers
5 Ways to Address Organizational ADD
ehospice USA (display ad)
How Being a Member Can Save You Money (display ad)
Member News and Notes
State Hospice Profiles (display ad)
Compliance Tip
2014 MLC (display ad)
Links to Resources on the NHPCO Website
A Feel-Good Moment

NHPCO NewsLine March 2014