Palliative Care Nurse Katie explains hospice vs. palliative care
July 13, 2026
Overview: What is palliative care, and how is it different from hospice? Palliative Care Nurse Katie P., RN, shares what people and their families need to know about care, support and options during serious illness.
Meet Katie: A nurse dedicated to care during serious illness
Katie P., a palliative care nurse with Trinity Health At Home in Grand Haven, Michigan, has spent more than two decades caring for people and their families during some of the most challenging times in their lives.
“I started as an emergency department nurse 23 years ago,” Katie shared.
Over the course of her career, she found herself consistently drawn to a certain kind of care.
“I’ve done several types of nursing in my career but have always been drawn to help people in their most difficult times.”
That calling ultimately led her to palliative care.
“When I applied for the palliative care position, the idea of helping people when their disease was at its most challenging was what drew me to the field.”
Today, Katie helps people living with serious illness better understand their condition, manage symptoms and navigate what comes next with clarity and support.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life for people living with serious or complex illnesses.
It supports people and their families by helping them:
- Manage symptoms such as pain, fatigue, nausea or shortness of breath.
- Better understand their diagnosis and what to expect.
- Make informed decisions about care and treatment.
Palliative care can be provided in long-term care settings or at home.
How is palliative care different from hospice?
One of the most common questions Katie hears is how palliative care compares to hospice.
While both focus on comfort and quality of life, there are important differences.
Palliative care:
- Can begin at any stage of serious illness.
- Can be provided alongside treatments meant to cure or extend life.
- Typically involves a nurse and nurse practitioner who serve as consultants.
Hospice care:
- Begins when curative treatment is no longer the focus.
- Provides an interdisciplinary care team.
- Focuses on holistic care at the end of life.
Who can benefit from palliative care?
Palliative care may be right for people who:
- Live with a complex condition such as cancer, lung disease, dementia or heart failure.
- Have ongoing symptoms like pain or fatigue.
- Need additional physical, emotional or spiritual support.
- Feel overwhelmed managing care.
Early support can make a meaningful difference in how people experience their illness.
Supporting people and families every step of the way
For Katie, palliative care is about more than managing symptoms. It is about helping people feel supported and prepared for what lies ahead. Sometimes, what people need most is someone to help make the hard things feel more manageable. That is exactly what Katie and her team are here to do.