There’s been increasing research supporting that comprehensive palliative care, which is focused on improving quality of life for those with serious chronic illness, can significantly improve a patient’s daily life and in many cases, prolong it. Dr. Steve Pantilat directs the Palliative Care Program at the University of California, San Francisco, which was one of the first hospital-based programs of its kind when founded in 1999.

"Historically, we’ve only thought about palliative care as being for people who are at the end of life and so we’ve said, “oh, you know if you’re not at the end of life, you don’t need palliative care.” But what we understand and what we have seen in studies and in practices, the palliative care is both for people with serious illness and people that are at the end of life."

Now, UCSF’s School of Nursing has expanded their training to include a minor in palliative care.

"Their Master’s and PhD level nurses can get a minor in palliative care and study that as a focus. So, we’re recognizing this is an important area for training healthcare professionals."