en Nursing Short Communication <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Palliative care is essential to Universal Health Coverage and reducing serious health-related suffering, yet major educational gaps persist for nurses across the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Although nurses deliver palliative care in hospitals, communities, and homes, many report insufficient knowledge, skills, and confidence&mdash;especially in end-of-life communication, complex symptom management, and psychosocial&ndash;spiritual support. These gaps are driven by limited curricular integration, shortages of trained faculty, resource constraints, and scarce post-graduation training. Digital and virtual education models (e.g., Project ECHO, web-based modules, and virtual simulation/VR) offer scalable solutions by improving access, reducing time and cost barriers, and strengthening competence and self-efficacy. However, implementation must be aligned with local health-system realities and adapted to Middle Eastern cultural and religious contexts, particularly family-centered decision-making and norms around sensitive discussions. Sustained investment in educator preparation, infrastructure, and ongoing mentorship is required to embed culturally responsive virtual palliative care education within nursing curricula.</span></span></div> Palliative Care, Nursing, Virtual Learning, Innovative Learning, Nursing Education. 0 0 http://nmj.goums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2131-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Hadis Ashrafizadeh ashrafizadeh.h1993@gmail.com 100319475328460017394 100319475328460017394 No Faculty of Nursing, student research committee, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran Salem Said Al Touby altouby@unizwa.edu.om 100319475328460017395 100319475328460017395 No School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman Maryam Rassouli Rassouli.m@gmail.com 100319475328460017396 100319475328460017396 Yes School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman; Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran