Palliative care is an integrative healthcare service that should be available to all patients, including children and their families at any stage of illness. Particular emphasis should be on holistic care, multidisciplinary teamwork and a person-centered approach. Palliative care  principles apply regardless of ethnic, cultural and religious background. Patients have the right to discuss their diagnosis and prognosis as far as they wish. Despite high standards in some settings, palliative care does not currently reach all patients in Israel. The reasons are a lack of funding, educational opportunities and nationwide cooperation among experts. However, there are also many promising opportunities for positive development.

Nurses with specialist palliative care training are of special importance in Israel. These nurses are particularly active in outpatient palliative care or employed in hospitals and hospices. Some palliative care nurses have their small clinics. Some offer consultations across the hospital. Except for a few procedures and signature authority, palliative care nurses have almost the same tasks as doctors. They examine patients, plan care, coordinate examinations and, with some restrictions, adjust medication. Nurses are responsible for coordinating patients with complex care needs and for follow-up. In outpatient palliative care, they check the home for patient equity and medication compliance and coordinate the palliative team. Palliative care nurses are active in research and in teaching

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