Palliative Perspective Podcast

Ep. 31 - The Role and Professional Standards of the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner in Hospice and Palliative Care

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Heather Coats and Dr. Kelly Henrichs. Moderated by Dr. Betty Ferrell, this episode discusses the adult-gerontology nurse practitioner's role in hospice and palliative care. Listen in as Heather and Kelly touch on common areas for the nurse practitioner, examples of when two APRNs work together to care for a patient, the differences between primary and specialty care, and more. 

This podcast episode coincides with an article written by Heather and Kelly in the June 2024 issue of the Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing.

1. Coats, Heather PhD, APRN-BC; Henrichs, Kelly DNP, RN, GNP-BC. The Role and Professional Standards of the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner in Hospice and Palliative Care. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing 26(3):p 116-121, June 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000001025.

Resources from the Episode:

• ACHPN® Credential
• AACN Call for Action: Nurses Lead and Transform Palliative Care
• ANA Call to Transform Palliative Care

About the Speakers:

Moderator: Dr. Betty Ferrell, PhD, MSN, RN, CHPN®, FAAN, FPCN, Director of Nursing Research & Education and Professor, City of Hope 

Featuring: 
Dr. Heather Coats, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN, Director of Research, HPNA, and Assistant Professor, University of Colorado College of Nursing 
Dr. Kelly Henrichs, DNP, RN, GNP-BC, Specialty Director, AGPCNP Program, Associate Professor, University of Colorado College of Nursing 
 
Dr. Henricks  works at CU as an associate professor, where she has taught for nearly 10 years and her clinical specialty is Gerontology. She was recently appointed the specialty director of the Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program at CU and teaches across the undergraduate and graduate program. Her research interests are focused on older adults, and how to shift nursing student attitudes toward them. She is passionate about improving care and outcomes for the older adult population. She currently practices in the UCHealth Senior's Clinic as a nurse practitioner. 

Dr.  Coats, PhD, APRN-BC, FPCN, FAAN is Director of Research for Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) and faculty at the University of Colorado, College of Nursing, Anschutz Medical Campus, in Aurora, CO. With a well-founded base of palliative, oncology, and hospice care spanning over 26 years, Heather is sought out as a researcher, teacher, and consultant to nurses, physicians, and other health care professionals. She has been in numerous leadership positions and developed national/international recognition through her impact on the PC/EOL field. Heather is a well-known palliative care nurse leader who has communicated extensively through her publications, presentations and consultations with patients, families, and clinicians on the importance of palliative care for individuals living with serious illness.   

Nationally, she was invited to the prestigious keynote at the AAHPM/HPNA National Assembly to present the “State of the Science” for three years, and a subsequent keynote for the HPNA Clinical Practice Forum. She was the 2021 HPNA Vanguard recipient, is a Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing, and a Fellow of the Western Academy of Nurses, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Internationally, she has been invited to both India and Japan to share her knowledge and expertise in PC/EOL nursing.  Her program of research which investigates the use of person-centered narrative interventions to improve communication between patients, family caregivers, and clinicians has been funded by NIH and the Cambia Health Foundation. In 2015, she earned her PhD in Nursing from the University of Arizona, College of Nursing, earned her master’s in nursing: Adult Nurse Practitioner from the University of Colorado, College of Nursing in 2006, and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Arkansas, Eleanor Mann School of Nursing in 1996. 

Ep. 30 - Caring for Underserved Patients in Rural and Urban Settings

In this episode, we welcome Tracy Fasolino and Mansara Hassan, board members from the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) and the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF), Moderated by Lynn Reinke, this episode discusses the considerations surrounding caring for underserved patients in rural and urban settings.

Resources from the Episode:

• HPNA DEIB Style Guide
• HPNF Diversity in Health Care Video Series
• HPNA Research Agenda
• HPNA Advocacy Efforts

About the Speakers:

Moderator: Lynn Reinke, PhD, MSN, ARNP-BC, FAAN, FPCN
Featuring Tracy Fasolino, PhD, FNP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN and Mansara Hassan, MSN, APRN, AGNP-C

Tracy Fasolino, PhD, FNP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN is a Professor and Distinguished Palliative Care Leader at Clemson University School of Nursing, Clemson, SC. She is passionate about rural communities having lived in rural Appalachia all her life. She is a rising policy leader for underserved, rural communities. Tracy is honored to serve as a mentor to students and peers exploring primary and specialty palliative care. She was inducted as a Fellow of Palliative Care Nursing (FPCN) of the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) in 2024, serves on the Board of Directors for HPNA and the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF), and is an HPNF Florence Wald Champion.

Mansara Hassan, MSN, APRN, AGNP-C, is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner in Dallas, TX. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. Mansara is deeply committed to ensuring equitable access to palliative care. She is also passionate about teaching and empowering nurses and is a proud End of Life Nursing Education (ELNEC) trainer.  Mansara is an HPNA member and serves on the Board of Directors for HPNA and HPNF.

 

 

Ep. 29 - An Inside Look at the Diversity in Health Care Video Series

In this episode, we welcome Komal Patel Murali, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, Chair of the HPNA DEIB Committee, and a panel of experts who provide an inside look at the Diversity in Health Care video series. The panel includes Dr. Leah Rosenberg, Dr. Rushil Patel, Reverend Katherine Engel, and Raniah El-Gendi. Listen to hear Dr. Murali ask the panel about their contributions to the video series and discuss the importance of providing interculturally sensitive care.

The first in the series of Diversity in Health Care videos was made possible through a grant from the American Nurses Foundation. HPNF partnered with the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Florida to develop this resource for providing culturally appropriate care to patients observing the Islamic faith.

The three additional videos were made possible through a grant to HPNF from the Jack Buncher Foundation to develop resources for providing culturally appropriate end-of-life care to Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist patients. View the video series here.

 

About Komal:

Moderator: Komal Patel Murali, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, Chair of HPNA DEIB Committee
Featuring Dr. Leah Rosenberg, Dr. Rushil Patel, Reverend Katherine Engel, and Raniah El-Gendi

Komal Patel Murali is an assistant professor at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing interested in end-of-life care for seriously ill older adults in the home healthcare setting. Dr. Murali’s research focuses on improving equity and end-of-life care surrounding hospice transitions for people living with dementia and their care partners. She aims to develop transitional care management interventions to improve hospice transitions and reduce disparities in hospice use through embedded pragmatic clinical trials in real-world practice in home healthcare. Dr. Murali is also interested in palliative care integration in the intensive care unit as her program of research is strongly influenced by her prior clinical experiences as a nurse and nurse practitioner delivering end-of-life care in the critical care setting.

Dr. Murali is an HPNA member and volunteer. She currently serves as the chair of the HPNA DEIB Committee.

Ep. 28 - The Power of Mentoring

In this episode, we welcome Lynn Reinke, PhD, MSN, ARNP-BC, FAAN, FPCN back to the show where she speaks with HPNA’s 2024 President-Elect Masako Mayahara, PhD, RN, FAAN, CHPN, FPCN and HPNA’s Immediate Past President Michelle Webb, DNP, RN, CHPCA on the power of mentoring.

About Lynn:

Dr. Reinke is the Claire Dumke Ryberg, RN, Presidential Endowed Chair for Palliative and End of Life Care at the University of Utah, College of Nursing. In this role, she works to increase the palliative care workforce in rural and underserved populations by educating professionals and laypersons to deliver primary palliative care.

Dr. Reinke’s clinical practice and program of research focuses on improving the delivery of palliative and end-of-life care for patients with serious illnesses. She is internationally recognized as an expert in dyspnea management for patients diagnosed with advanced lung diseases. Her studies, funded by NIH, VA, and Foundations, are designed to test nurse-led palliative care interventions in sub-specialty and primary care services and to improve the quality of clinicians’ end-of-life communication skills.

About Masako:

Dr. Mayahara is a clinical expert in pain management in hospice and palliative care. Her research focuses on reducing pain and suffering in patients and families facing serious illness. She utilizes innovative technology and evidence-based interventions to support family caregivers in delivering patient pain management at home. Her federally funded research includes the development and testing of a digital application (e-PainSupport) designed to reduce pain intensity in home hospice patients. Additionally, she serves as a co-investigator on multiple NIH R01 grants, including a study funded by the National Institutes of Aging to provide chronic grief intervention to dementia caregivers using video conference technology. She is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing and serves as the president-elect of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation.

About Michelle:

Dr. Webb is an Assistant Professor in the Duke University School of Nursing. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Indiana University, a Master of Science in Nursing from The George Washington University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Minnesota. She has diverse nursing practice and leadership experience and has held executive leadership positions in behavioral/psychiatric-mental health, home health, acute care, and hospice care. She is a member of the National Black Nurses Association and currently serves as the Past President of HPNA and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation Board of Directors. 

Ep. 27 - Racial and Cultural Competence in Palliative Care

In this episode, we welcome Amisha Parekh de Campos, PhD, MPH, RN, CHPN to the show where she speaks on the research that she is conducting surrounding people of color in end-of-life care. Amisha speaks on the importance of incorporating race into practice to best serve our minority populations and how we can advocate for our patients of color. 

 

About Amisha:

Amisha Parekh de Campos, PhD, MPH, RN, CHPN has a joint appointment as an Assistant Clinical Professor, University of Connecticut School of Nursing, and Quality and Education Coordinator of the Middlesex Health Hospice Program, Middletown, CT. Amisha received her PhD in Nursing from the University of Connecticut (2020), and BS and MPH in Global Health from George Washington University (2001 & 2005). She received her BSN from the University of St. Joseph in 2009; additional certifications include hospice and palliative care (CHPN). Amisha started her career in public health by establishing public health clinics and training community health workers in rural areas of south India and the Dominican Republic. She led initiatives on the prevention of HIV, tuberculosis, and mosquito-borne illnesses with community, government, and private organizations.

For the past ten years, Amisha has worked in hospice home care in various leadership roles, including community liaison and clinical supervisor. Currently, she manages research, quality, education, and orientation for the Hospice Homecare program, which serves approximately 150,000 people in Connecticut. In addition, Amisha is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Connecticut, School of Nursing working towards enhancing the palliative care curriculum and education among undergraduate students. She is a Robert Wood Johnson, Future of Nursing Scholar (2017-2020) and Jonas Scholar for Chronic Health (2017-2020). In 2019, Amisha received the 2019 Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation Scholarship to fund a study in advance care planning through simulation with registered nurses. She is the 2021
recipient of the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse of the Year and recipient of the 2021 Young Investigator Award from the Connecticut Coalition to Improve End-of-Life Care. Amisha was also featured in the Journal of Hospice and
Palliative Nursing.

Amisha’s program of research focuses on end-of-life care communication. Her dissertation focused on simulation among registered nurses in advance care planning communication.

Working at a community health system, she has noticed the disparities in end-of-life care among people of color. With her public health background and working with communities, she would like to assess the barriers and facilitators to end-of-life care and provide interventions to expand EOL services to this population.

 

 

 

Ep. 26 – Meet Lynn Reinke, 2024 HPNA & HPNF President

In this episode, we welcome Lynn Reinke, PhD, MSN, ARNP-BC, FAAN, FPCN to the show where she speaks on mentoring, taking risks, and the engagement opportunities that have led her to the role of HPNA and HPNF’s 2024 President of the Board of Directors. Lynn also shares what excites her most about the HPNA Strategic Plan and her focus on building a strong community of hospice and palliative care nurses.

About Lynn:

Dr. Reinke is the Claire Dumke Ryberg, RN, Presidential Endowed Chair for Palliative and End of Life Care at the University of Utah, College of Nursing. In this role, she works to increase the palliative care workforce in rural and underserved populations by educating professionals and laypersons to deliver primary palliative care.

Dr. Reinke’s clinical practice and program of research focuses on improving the delivery of palliative and end-of-life care for patients with serious illnesses. She is internationally recognized as an expert in dyspnea management for patients diagnosed with advanced lung diseases. Her studies, funded by NIH, VA, and Foundations, are designed to test nurse-led palliative care interventions in sub-specialty and primary care services and to improve the quality of clinicians’ end-of-life communication skills.

 

Ep. 25 - All About Death Cafe

In this episode, we welcome Shari Alton, ADN RN, CHPN and Deb Bershad, BSN, RN, CHPN, to talk about Death Cafe in the Phoenix Chapter of HPNA. Deb and Shari speak on how Death Cafe encourages open discourse about death and dying for healthcare professionals and how to get involved.

 

About Shari:

Shari Alton is an ADN RN, CHPN with 45 years of experience in the nursing field. Shari started as a CNA in 1978, then became an LPN and graduated from RN school in 1983. Her background includes inpatient Med-Surg, Ortho, Post-Partum and Nursery, Chemical Dependency and Adult Psychiatry and Endoscopy. For the last 20 years, Shari has worked at Hospice of the Valley, in Phoenix, Arizona, as an RNCM in Home Hospice.

Currently, Shari is the President of the Phoenix Chapter of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. She is passionate about Death Café and has benefitted tremendously from it.

About Deb:

Deb Bershad is a nurse with diverse experience. She has worked most nursing positions available in the acute care hospital setting. She spent 17 years in the acute care setting, until burnout took its toll.

She left the field and found her most rewarding and challenging work to date. For the next ten years, she worked as a teacher, facilitator, and Professional Development Coach. Personal tragedy prompted a 3-day retreat in which she re-clarified her goals and passion in life. This led to her return to nursing, where she found new pride, purpose, and meaning in her life as a nurse. Some of her most rewarding work has come in her latest role, as a Hospice nurse.  

Ep. 24 - The Evolution of Hospice Care

In this episode, we welcome Pat Berry, PhD, APRN, CNP, GNP-BC, FPCN, FAAN, to the show where she speaks on the evolution of hospice care, how she was involved in these advancements, and some of the most valuable lessons she has learned in hospice. 

 

About Pat:

Pat Berry, PhD, APRN, CNP, GNP-BC, FPCN, FAAN has 46 years of experience in Hospice and Palliative care including as a staff RN, quality improvement coordinator, Joint Commission hospice surveyor, educator, author, nurse practitioner, and researcher. Pat has been active in HPNA and HPNF and has witnessed a great deal of growth and change in our field, including the growth and acceptance of palliative care, nursing and team member certification, evidence-based practice, and educational programs focused on increasing the knowledge of students and professionals in both hospice and palliative care.

Ep. 23 - Fertility Planning with Palliative Patients

This episode of Palliative Perspective introduces Sari Williams, RN, FNP-C, a supportive care provider based in California. 

In this episode, Sari speaks on her experience as a supportive care provider delving into the intricacies of her profession, including what fertility planning looks like for a palliative patient. Sari describes what she finds to be most impactful about her occupation, as well as what keeps her motivated to continue in this important field. 

 

About Sari:

Sari Williams, RN, FNP-C started nursing in 2009 on a telemetry floor in a hospital in downtown Los Angeles. After a few years, she transferred to the ICU/trauma unit at that same hospital. Sari was accepted to the MSN program at Cal State Long Beach. At the same time, she was pregnant with her first daughter! Because of the Master's course curriculum, Sari started working at a different hospital, now part-time in their ICU. During her Master’s program for Family Nurse Practitioner, Sari had two daughters and went back to work as a bedside RN once school was done. In the ICU, Sari saw a lot of patient cases play out in different ways, but what stuck with her the most was the suffering at the end of life that could have been prevented with more attention on goals of care and end-of-life planning. Pursuing the palliative care field felt like the next right step in her nursing career. While Sari was looking for continuity with her patients initially with a focus on disease prevention, she realized through bedside practice that continuity can still exist while not focusing on prevention. What Sari loves about her job is helping patients find a new normal, to help them meet their goal of maintaining a level of function and engagement with life that they find meaningful.

 

Ep. 22 - Advocacy at HPNA

In this episode, we welcome Sarah Potter, Health Policy Specialist for the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.

Sarah shares with us her experience working in public policy and how it translates into her current role. She explains how members can engage in federal public policy activities and why it is so important to share your stories and help advocate for hospice and palliative care.

About Sarah:
Sarah Potter serves as Health Policy Specialist at the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA). In this role, she works with HPNA’s advocacy and lobbying team to engage members on federal public policy issues that affect nursing and hospice and palliative care.

Prior to joining HPNA, Sarah worked on Capitol Hill as press secretary and legislative assistant for Representative Karen McCarthy and as deputy press secretary on the Senate Homeland Security Committee under Senator Joe Lieberman. She also developed advocacy campaigns for several national organizations based in Washington, D.C., including the Premier Healthcare Alliance, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and Independent Sector. Her policy expertise includes Medicare, Medicaid, children’s health, and the health care workforce.

Sarah is a graduate of the University of Missouri, where she earned dual degrees in political science and journalism.