After-Hours Palliative Tele-Nursing Support
Last updated on December 1, 2021Action Plan Commitment on After-Hours Palliative Tele-Nursing Support: Provide provincewide after hours palliative tele-nursing support to caregivers and families in your home, as of April 2012.
What does this mean for me?
If you have a terminal illness and are eligible to receive palliative nursing care through the provincial Home and Community Care Program, you and your loved ones and caregivers now have access to after-hours telephone support in your home, with the expansion of the After-Hours Palliative Nursing Service (AHPNS).
The after-hours palliative nursing service complements (and does not replace) the existing services available during the day for those nearing the end of their life, and their families. The hours of operation are from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. Pacific Time, seven days a week. Initially in Kelowna, Vancouver Community and Victoria, current after-hours palliative services will remain in place and palliative patients in those areas will not call the provincial AHPNS.
HealthLink BC’s registered nurses who answer the calls are specially trained to provide confidential tele-nursing information and advice. Callers with more complex needs may be transferred to speak with specialist palliative response nurses from Fraser Health. After the call, a confidential report of the service is sent to the patient’s community nurse to guide any follow-up, including connecting with the family physician when indicated.
This service helps seniors and their families access support for their care needs within their own community.
Links:
For more information about end-of-life care, visit