Michelle Farnan, RN, MSN, OCN, palliative care nurse coordinator, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, discusses the challenges of integrating palliative care into practice.

Farnan says one of the biggest challenges in integrating palliative care is that many families think that palliative care means end-of-life care. Also, some providers are afraid to put their patients in a palliative care program because they think it reflects poorly on them.

Palliative care professionals and physicians need to reach a middle ground. Palliative care can help patients achieve a greater quality of life as well as prepare them for the end of their life, if needed.

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Michelle Farnan Discusses the Challenges of Integrating Palliative Care

Michelle Farnan, RN, MSN, OCN, palliative care nurse coordinator, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, discusses the impact of a palliative care screening tool for inpatient oncology patients.

Farnan says the tool, which is currently used at her institution, looks at the patient’s diagnosis, comorbid conditions, functional status and additional symptoms related to what the patient is experiencing.

The study validated that with oncology patients, the level of distress is high and that nurses need to find a time prior to an oncology patient’s first hospital visit to begin the discussion on palliative care, Farnan says.

View more from the Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium

Michelle Farnan, RN, MSN, OCN

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Michelle Farnan Discusses the Challenges of Integrating Palliative Care

Michelle Farnan Discusses the Impact of Using a Palliative Care Screening Tool