Palliative Care Nurse

A Palliative Care Nurse is responsible for evaluating a patient's condition and administering treatment, and providing comfort and care to a patient who is terminally ill.  Palliative care is provided to ensure their quality of life is not compromised in any way. Regardless of their prognosis, it improves their quality of life by relieving their symptoms. When a patient is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, this treatment might be initiated to help them cope with the condition.

Developing healthy and cultivating strong communication skills are essential for a career in palliative care nursing. This entails not just excellent listening abilities, but also the capacity to sympathise with patients and their loved ones.  The ability to talk openly about death, suffering, and family relationships is another need for a career in palliative care nursing. This is a highly individualised kind of treatment that takes into account the person’s or family’s specific diagnosis, cultural norms, and life circumstances.  The palliative care nurse’s professionalism and composure are tested while dealing with patients’ intense emotions.

To become a Palliative Care Nurse, you must first have the relevant qualifications as a Registered Nurse (RNs), and have extensive industry experience.  Registered Nurses work as part of a multidisciplinary team alongside other skilled professionals including doctors, surgeons, specialists, therapists, specialty nurses, social workers and many others to provide ongoing patient care to people who are sick, disabled, injured or recovering from surgery.  Registered nurses deliver primary health care predominantly in hospitals, clinics, assisted living facilities, aged care facilities, Government or military institutions, community or school settings, in the home or in outpatient facilities.

Read about all other Specialty Nursing Roles here