Chart — Palliative & End-of-Life
Palliative vs Hospice Comparison Chart
One sentence organizes the whole chart: all hospice is palliative care, but most palliative care is not hospice. The differences are timing, eligibility, and whether curative treatment continues.
Educational use only. Coverage and eligibility details reflect common U.S. patterns (Medicare hospice benefit); programs and payers vary. This material supports nursing education and exam review. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional policy, or medical direction. Always follow facility protocols and current provider orders.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Palliative Care | Hospice |
|---|---|---|
| Core goal | Relieve symptoms and stress of serious illness; improve quality of life for patient and family | Comfort and quality of life when the illness is terminal — neither hastening nor postponing death |
| When it's appropriate | Any age, any stage — from diagnosis onward | Prognosis of ~6 months or less if the disease runs its expected course |
| Curative treatment | Continues alongside — chemo, surgery, transplant evaluation all compatible | Curative treatment of the terminal diagnosis stops; treatment of other conditions and all comfort care continue |
| Eligibility gate | A referral — no prognosis requirement | Two-physician certification of terminal prognosis + patient/surrogate election |
| Where | Hospital consult teams, outpatient clinics, home programs | Mostly wherever the patient lives; inpatient levels for crises and respite |
| Team | Interdisciplinary — physician, nurse, social work, chaplaincy, pharmacy | Same interdisciplinary core plus aides and volunteers, with 24/7 on-call nursing |
| Family support | Family included in the unit of care | Family included plus formal bereavement support ~13 months after the death |
| Reversibility | Patient can engage or disengage at any time | Patient can revoke at any time and return to curative care; can re-enroll if still eligible |
Exam Traps
- ✦A patient receiving chemotherapy CAN receive palliative care — concurrent curative treatment rules out hospice, not palliative care.
- ✦Hospice ≈ 6-month prognosis + comfort focus; palliative care has no prognosis requirement.
- ✦Choosing hospice is reversible — revocation at any time is the patient's right.
- ✦Hospice still treats non-terminal conditions; "all treatment stops" answers are wrong.
- ✦Bereavement follow-up (~13 months) is a hospice benefit feature exams like to test.
Related Resources
Standards & sources
Fact-checked Jun 21, 2026This page is written to align with National Consensus Project (NCP) Clinical Practice Guidelines · Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA). It is an educational summary, not a citation of any single document — always verify specific doses, values, and protocols against current guidelines and your facility policy. How we source content →