Maximal Use of the Registered Nurse on Palliative Care Teams

Registered nurses (RNs) are the most trusted health professional, comprising the largest segment of health professionals, and are consistent members of interprofessional palliative care teams. However, palliative care team members are often unfamiliar with or misunderstand the scope of nursing skills and expertise. While there is literature that discusses palliative care models and the use of RNs in advance care planning, there is a paucity of literature that specifically discusses their broad skills and contributions to palliative care teams and patient care. Research indicates that RNs determine and execute care that is appropriate for the situation and needs of patients by using their clinical judgement and knowledge of diseases, treatments, the healthcare system, culture, and social and behavioral sciences. They share similar expertise with other professions across the biomedical-psycho-sociocultural-spiritual care models; however, they focus on whole person care. With such a comprehensive scope of practice, RNs are well-positioned to identify patients’ multidimensional needs and coordinate care accordingly. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the palliative RN’s specific knowledge, competencies, and skills which contribute and optimize the delivery of high-quality patient-centered, palliative care. Palliative nurse competencies frame a case study to highlight RN’s expertise in providing and coordinating whole-person, patient-centered care, and how these skills foster positive patient outcomes. Finally, a strategy is offered for a team to maximize the use of the RN.