How do you become a palliative care NP?

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Hi everyone, I'm posting this question for my mom not myself. I'm curious how one becomes a palliative NP, is it a FNP with an emphasis? I can't find any programs that are specifically palliative care NP. 

For context my mom has been a nurse (BSN) for 25 years and currently works in palliative care. She really loves palliative and after taking a number of courses including the year long one offered through the CSU system, she became a certified palliative and hospice nurse (CHPN). Her current work situation is crappy, she does a few peoples worth of work and her palliative role is technically unofficial so shes always working so hard to keep it going and being threatended that her "program" will shut down. She works at a large healthcare company in CA and is well payed so she stays despite the issues. She won't make the same money doing a similar job at any other company. I'm encouraging her to look into a masters because she loves the autonomy of home health and her current pay but her situation is unsustainable.

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Madonna University in Michigan has a couple different programs that specialize in Hospice and Palliative care. 
One is a post grad certificate in which the qualification is a NP or DNP. 
You can earn it if you are an FNP or adult/gero NP. Just depends on your preferences. 
 

https://www.madonna.edu/academics/programs/hospice-palliative-studies/

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The University of South Alabama also offers a palliative care subspecialty.

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

NP (ANP, FNP, PNP, based on desired population) and then specialize. If you already have a background in hospice/palliative care as a RN it can help get started in the hospice field as NP. (Related specialties like oncology help too!).

There are a few programs which offer a hospice/palliative care sub-specialty:

Penn, Duke and Columbia have all specialty tracks I believe. Some other programs incorporate this coursework into gero-track classes - at least as elective credits.

Also you can gain specialty certification through Hospice & Palliative Credentialing Center if you are an NP and working in a hospice or palliative care setting and want to show that you've developed expertise in this area.

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Specializes in Psychiatric/Mental Health, Med-Surg, Corrections.

As others have mentioned there are various program options. CA specific, I know UCSF has a palliative care subspecialty for NPs.

If relocating is an option, there are also a select few palliative care NP "residencies" - usually a year in length. Specific examples, I can find info on ones at: Dartmouth, Memorial Sloan Ketting, Harvard/Mass General. I'm sure there are other ones out there too.

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Thanks for all the information!

 

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