Bill summary
- Seeks to amend the Public Health Service Act (Congress.Gov, 2019).
- To raise the number of permanent faculty in palliative care institutions.
- Beneficiaries: accredited osteopathic and allopathic training institutions.
- Aim: promote education and research in hospices and palliative care.
Specifics of the Bill
- All palliative care and hospice education centers to:
- Promote inter-professional team-based training of care professionals in palliative care
- Create inter-professional team-based curricula on palliative care treatment procedures
- Advance the training and retraining of faculty members in palliative care
Continuation of Specifics of the Bill
- Support continued learning of professionals involved in palliative care.
- Give students clinical training in inter-professional team-based palliative care.
- Provide traineeships for persons preparing for advanced education in palliative care.
- Support training programs involving multiple specialties to enhance palliative care.
How this bill might impact professional nursing practice standards if passed
- Thoroughly trained nurses in palliative care
- Availability of traineeship opportunities for nurses
- Nurses to learn to work with inter-disciplinary teams in palliative care
- Assured of support for continued learning from the involved institutions
How this bill might impact professional nursing practice standards if not passed
- Severe nurse shortage in palliative care due to lack of enough faculty members.
- Available nurses will not be adequately prepared to provide quality services.
- A team-based inter-professional approach to care will lack among nurses.
- Difficult for nurses to advance their studies in palliative care.
How the bill might impact my own nursing practice
- Become a competent palliative care nurse.
- Learn to work with inter-professional teams.
- Have the opportunity to advance my nursing career.
- Utilize traineeship opportunities as I prepare for advanced learning in palliative care.
How to communicate my concerns about or support for this bill based on nursing practice
- Write to the legislator to give my support or raise issues.
- Write to Congress and explain why the bill is needed.
- Appear before committees to give my support for the bill.
- Call the legislator’s office to discuss more the bill.
How to communicate my concerns about or support for this bill based on nursing standards
- Discuss the bill with my peers.
- Write articles and newsletters about the bill.
- Mentor other nurses and highlight my concerns concerning the bill.
- Seek internship from the office of legislators supporting the bill.
How to communicate your concerns about or support for this bill based on patient outcomes
- Get involved in palliative care.
- Gather evidence-based information on palliative care.
- Conduct patient education on why the bill is needed.
- Interview patients and family members on their take about the bill.
How this bill might impact your community
- Improved quality palliative care services.
- Enough palliative care nurses and care professionals.
- Improved quality of life among palliative care patients.
- Affordable palliative care services will become affordable.
Reference
Congress.Gov. (2019). H.R.647 – Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act. Web.