Pediatric Palliative Care: A Literature Review of Best Practices in Oncology Nursing Education Programs

Palliative care as a foundation for patient-centered care is not adequately covered in nursing curricula. This gap in education means that pediatric oncology nurses may lack necessary palliative care competencies to provide comprehensive care to patients. A literature review was performed to determine if nurses believe that they are prepared to provide clinical palliative care to pediatric patients and how pediatric palliative care best practices can be better integrated into nursing education programs. According to the literature review, studies suggest that providing pediatric palliative care education in nursing programs can build nurses’ confidence and better prepare them to competently care for patients and families.

AT A GLANCE

• Nursing curricula that include palliative care education can provide a foundation for nurses to better care for pediatric patients with cancer.
• Competency-based pediatric palliative care education can be integrated into nursing curricula from baccalaureate to doctoral practice programs.
• Nursing programs that have successfully integrated pediatric palliative care education into the nursing curriculum can publish their processes and challenges to inform others and aid in the development of additional programs.