Keywords

advanced practice registered nurses, APRN, education, ELNEC, end of life, palliative care, program development

 

Authors

  1. Dahlin, Constance M. MSN, ANP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN, FAAN
  2. Coyne, Patrick J. MSN, ACNS-BC, ACHPN, FPCN, FAAN
  3. Paice, Judith PhD, RN, FAAN
  4. Malloy, Pamela MN, RN, FPCN, FAAN
  5. Thaxton, Cheryl Ann MN, CPNP, FNP-BC, CHPPN
  6. Haskamp, Amy MSN, RN, PCNS-BC, CPON, CHPPN

Abstract

As care providers across the health continuum for patients with serious illness, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are essential to quality palliative care. Many APRNs, however, lack palliative care education and training. To promote palliative-specific education for practicing APRNs, the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) created an APRN curriculum and developed a 2-day course on clinical issues and program development in palliative care pertinent to APRN practice. In the past 3 years, more than 940 APRNs representing the spectrum of disease specialties, populations, and health care settings have attended this national course. Completion of precourse and postcourse surveys demonstrated that the course has improved their knowledge and their practice. ELNEC-APRN is an essential educational forum for APRNs to provide high-quality palliative care for patients with serious illness. Advanced practice registered nurses can incorporate content into their practice, integrate content into other educational forums, and use principles to build palliative care services.