Objectives: To provide an overview of the four major palliative care delivery models: ambulatory clinics, home-based programs, inpatient palliative care units, and inpatient consultation services. The advantages and disadvantages of each model and the generalist and specialist roles in palliative care will be discussed.
Data sources: Literature review.
Conclusion: The discipline of palliative care continues to experience growth in the number of programs and in types of delivery models. Ambulatory- and home-based models are the newest on the scene.
Implications for nursing practice: Nurses caring for oncology patients with life-limiting disease should be informed about these models for optimal impact on patient care outcomes. Oncology nurses should demonstrate generalist skills in the care of the seriously ill and access specialist palliative care providers as warranted by the patient's condition.
Keywords: Palliative care; delivery models; generalist and specialist palliative care.