Death Doulas Get a Boost from Chris “Thor” Hemsworth

End-of-life (or “death”) doulas recently got a boost in the media when practitioner Alua Arthur appeared on the National Geographic TV series “Limitless with Chris Hemsworth.” The show is designed for Hemsworth, an Australian actor who plays Thor in the Marvel Movie Universe, to learn from experts on how to maximize his health and longevity.

2023 Symposium Highlights Communication, Caregivers, and Changing Healthcare Education

My mom asked me why they don’t coordinate better and share information to make it easier on older people? I told her that this a goal for palliative care – to provide the best care possible, spare patients and caregivers unnecessary stress, and improve quality of life. This conversation was timely as it occurred just prior to the National Symposium for Academic Palliative Care Education and Research which was held March 2-3, 2023, in Long Beach, CA.

Dr. Robinson’s Pre-Conference Workshop and the Four “Core Spheres” of Nursing

When she was studying to become a nurse, Katie Robinson, PhD, RN-BC, CHPN, didn’t know what kind of nursing she wanted to practice. “I went through all the iterations, starting with labor and delivery and pediatrics,” said Dr. Robinson, now assistant professor of nursing at California State University San Marcos, and one of the co-presenters for a pre-conference workshop at the Institute’s 2023 National Symposium for Academic Palliative Care Education and Research, March 1 at the Long Beach, Calif., Hilton Hotel.

Dr. Robinson-Lane Will Speak to Community Building

As America’s health care system confronts its history of inequity and bias at all levels, the Shiley Haynes Institute’s upcoming Annual Symposium will offer attendees an opportunity to explore these issues for hospice and palliative care professionals in the context of community and community building.

Dr. Erikson’s Pre-Conference Workshop for 2023 Symposium will Explore AACN’s Core Spheres

One of the pre-conference workshops at the Shiley Haynes Institute’s upcoming 2023 national symposium will highlight an enhanced role for palliative care, as signaled in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)’s latest updating of its “Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education.” Released in April of 2021, it identifies four “core” spheres of care that may still be unfamiliar to some nursing educators.

Caregiving Burdens, Policy to be Highlighted at Institute’s March Symposium

Personal caregiving, which covers a broad spectrum from childcare to providing for the health care needs of a parent, spouse, sibling or other loved one, can have huge implications and huge consequences for the caregiver.

Interprofessional Education and Practice to be Highlighted in Plenary at Institute’s 2023 Symposium

The advancement of interprofessional education and practice are rapidly evolving trends across the health care system but particularly relevant for the field of palliative care. “I would say that palliative care itself is inherently interprofessional. You can’t practice palliative care without working closely across different professions,” said Veronica Young, PharmD, MPH, FNAP, founding director of The University of Texas at Austin Center for Health Interprofessional Practice and Education.

Burnout’s Institutional Challenge: Dr. Maslach to Address Institute’s 2023 Symposium

For UC Berkeley psychology professor emerita Christina Maslach, PhD, creator of the widely used Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) psychological research tool, much of the current focus on the burnout epidemic in the health professions tends to point the finger at the individuals and what they need to do in order to become more resilient in their jobs. Instead, she says, we should look at the systems and job settings—the occupational phenomena that are creating widespread, chronic job stress.

A Great Start: Interim Executive Director Named for the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care

As the year draws to a close most of us spend time reflecting on where we have been in the last 12 months and where we are going. This is certainly true for me this year, as I’ve returned to the Institute in a new capacity to continue the great work of our most recent Executive Director, Jennifer Ballentine. In November 2022, I was delighted to assume the role of the Interim Executive Director of the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care.

Institute Executive Director to Retire

Last month, I wrote about the exciting direction that the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care will be taking over the next year. I want to share with you now news of a new direction I will be taking as well – as of the end of this month, I will retire from the Institute.

Marking the 10th Anniversary of the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care – and Sharing What’s Next!

We have so much to celebrate! This month, the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care turns 10! On September 20, 2012, the Institute was launched at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) as America’s first statewide educational and workforce development initiative dedicated to palliative care!

What Does the Abortion Decision Have to Do With Palliative Care?

Chances are that whatever your thoughts and reactions are to the recent Supreme Court decision on abortion, its impact on care for people with serious, advanced, or terminal illnesses may not be top of mind. I’m here to say, Watch this space. Definitions of life and the authority to direct its course affect the end of life as much as the beginning.