I have been a RN at UCLA for 18 months. One particular issue that caught my attention is the use of palliative care in health care. Since nurses are typically at the patient's bedside constantly, they have an important role to play in expressing the importance of its use and implementation in the patient's care. In 2003, the American Nurses' Association released a position statement regarding "pain management and control." distressing symptoms in dying patients. The organization states: In the context of the care relationship, nurses play a critical role in the assessment and management of pain and other distressing symptoms in dying patients. Therefore, nurses must use effective doses of prescribed medications to control symptoms, and they have a moral obligation to advocate for the patient when prescribed medications fail to adequately manage pain and other distressing symptoms. Increasing medication titration to achieve adequate symptom control is ethically justified. I would like to extend this idea of ​​what appears to be an end-of-life palliative care position to the broader idea of ​​palliative care. My experience in both medical-surgical and intensive care settings has left me with the feeling that this specialty is often neglected and underutilized in acute care settings. It is commonly believed that palliative care is the same as palliative care or that a patient must stop aggressive treatment in order to receive it. Many of my colleagues, including physicians, have the preconceived notion that if palliative care is involved, it usually means the patient will be put through an end-of-life protocol with morphine infusion. This co...... middle of article ......needs of the adult/gerontology population, particularly in the context of palliative care. As nursing continues to evolve toward an evidence-based approach to health care, I also want to participate in the synthesis and dissemination of research-based guidelines for palliative care. UCLA's advanced nursing practice diploma program is nationally recognized and the medical center is known for its care of the adult/geriatric population. My brief tenure at UCLA has been a rewarding experience and the opportunity to continue to contribute to this institution as an advanced practice palliative care nurse would be an honor. My goal in maximizing the use of this valuable, but currently underutilized, resource in the acute care setting is ultimately to help patients achieve and maintain a quality of life that is both acceptable to them and their families..