Working together.

Standards released by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer program in 2012 call for all patients with cancer to have access to palliative care and for institutions to provide skilled and coordinated care as patients traverse through multiple healthcare settings. Many healthcare providers do not understand what palliative care can provide, or how it differs from hospice or end-of-life care. Oncology nurses and advanced practice nurses play an important role in educating healthcare providers, patients, and families about the role of palliative care and implementing it in the care of patients with cancer.