In this moving episode of HPNA Palliative Perspective, we welcome Esther Pepper, RN, BSN, CHPN®, a veteran hospice nurse from Alaska whose more than two decades of compassionate service have shaped her debut memoir, My Calling: Chronicles of an Alaskan Hospice Nurse. 

Drawing from years on the front lines of end-of-life care, Esther shares what hospice nursing truly looks like—the challenges, the grace, and the profound human connections formed along the way. Together, we explore the emotional and spiritual dimensions of dying that often go unspoken, practical strategies for symptom management, and how caregivers can nurture both their patients and themselves. 

Join us for a heartfelt conversation that celebrates the courage, compassion, and calling behind hospice work—and the enduring lessons learned from those at life’s final threshold. 

Esther Pepper, RN, BSN, CHPN®

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP

In this companion episode to the October Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing (JHPN) editorial, we sit down with members of HPNA’s DEIB Committee to explore the story behind a powerful decision—choosing to retain the committee’s name—and the thoughtful, intentional process that led there. Nurse leader and postdoctoral fellow Kirsten Inducil Buen, PhD, RN, MA, reflects on her clinical background, mentorship journey, and the challenges of speaking up with clarity during uncertain moments. Joined by committee chair Nancy Dias PhD, RN, MSN, FPCN®, the conversation dives into what it means to lead and learn in complexity, the responsibility of authorship, and how collaborative leadership can both empower and protect. This episode offers a real-world lens into DEIB work, not as a checkbox, but as a living, evolving commitment to justice, truth-telling, and meaningful inclusion. 

Show Notes 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast episode are the guests’ and do not represent the views of East Carolina University (ECU) nor UCLA.  

Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing (JHPN): https://journals.lww.com/jhpn/pages/default.aspx   

Mentorship Match program: https://community.advancingexpertcare.org/mentoring  

From the 2025 HPNA Annual Conference in Disney Springs, this special podcast episode brings the poster hall to your ears — featuring concise, powerful overviews from nurse-led and interdisciplinary researchers advancing the field of hospice and palliative care. 

In this special episode, we spotlight a series of innovative, nurse-led and interdisciplinary projects shaping the future of palliative care across diverse settings—from intensive care units and transplant programs to underserved communities and home-based care. Through a curated collection of research highlights and case studies, listeners will hear insights on everything from moral distress interventions for pediatric clinicians to new tools predicting hospitalization risk in home care, and reflective takes on recertification, bereavement, and communication training. Whether it’s integrating palliative care into community cancer programs, rethinking timing of goals-of-care conversations, or applying adult learning theory to clinical orientation, these stories offer practical lessons and fresh perspectives to elevate care for patients with serious illness. Tune in for a powerful exploration of what’s working—and what’s next—in the field of palliative care.  

Episode Highlights Include: 

Whether you missed the posters in person or want to revisit them for continuing education credit, this podcast episode delivers practical insights, inspiring strategies, and the pulse of innovation in palliative care — straight from the voices shaping the future of the field. 

In this episode of the HPNA Palliative Perspective Podcast, we welcome Doug Wubben, a health care professional with a diverse background in nursing and coaching. 

Doug brings extensive experience as an Oncology Case Manager and Goals of Care Educator, roles that have shaped his deep understanding of person-centered communication and interprofessional collaboration. Currently, he works as a Life & Leadership Coach, supporting clinicians as they navigate the personal and professional challenges of caregiving roles. 

In this episode, Doug shares insights from both his clinical practice and coaching work, offering a unique perspective on how we can address empathic distress, acknowledge and learn from a culture of mistakes, and build meaningful process improvements. He reminds us of the value in slowing down, making space to feel, and cultivating the most important compassion of them all—for ourselves.  

Doug Wubben, RN, BSN, PCC 

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP

Welcome to Episode 50 of the HPNA Palliative Perspective podcast—a meaningful milestone, and one that gave us pause to reflect on the incredible leaders who’ve shaped the hospice and palliative care space. In early conversations about this episode, we considered dedicating it to Betty Ferrell, a visionary in the field and the longtime Editor-in-Chief of JHPN, the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing. 

But, in true Betty fashion, those close to her reminded us she prefers to stay out of the spotlight. So instead, we’re honoring her legacy in a way we think she’d appreciate: by celebrating the educators. 

In this episode, we're shining a light on the hospice and palliative nurse educators featured in an upcoming issue of JHPN—innovators who are creating new programs and pushing boundaries in their Schools of Nursing to bring both primary and specialty palliative care to the forefront of nursing education. Their work is not only advancing the field but also shaping the future of compassionate care. 

Join Andra Davis, PhD, MN, RN, and Megan Lippe, PhD, MSN, RN, ANEF, FPCN®, FAAN—guest editors of the November issue of JHPN—as they share powerful insights on preparing the next generation of nurses in hospice and palliative care. Educating future nurses requires more than just a solid curriculum—it demands mentorship, creativity, and a deep, ongoing commitment. In this episode, we explore why palliative care is no longer a “nice to have,” but a necessity in nursing education. From shifts in accreditation standards to real-world bedside challenges, Drs. Davis and Lippe discuss the essential role faculty and mentors play in helping students navigate the emotional, clinical, and human complexities of whole person care. We also explore how practicing nurses can be part of this movement—supporting learners and strengthening the future of compassionate care.

Podcast Notes/Links 

JPHN Article, releasing in Nov— https://journals.lww.com/jhpn/pages/default.aspx  

Betty Ferrell, speaking at HPNA Annual Conference, link 

Scope, Standards and Competencies for the Hospice & Palliative RN & APRN, link 

The Corner https://www.aacnnursing.org/elnec/elnec-faculty-corner 

Megan Lippe, PhD, MSN, RN, ANEF, FPCN®, FAAN

Andra Davis, PhD, MN, RN

Dr. Davis’s research centers on strengthening palliative care education, including revising national competency guidelines and developing outcome measures for undergraduate nursing programs. She is recognized for her leadership at regional and national levels in advancing the integration of palliative care into nursing curricula. Internationally, she collaborates with nursing colleagues in Thailand that expand access to palliative education, research, and caregiver wellbeing. Her scholarship also contributes to the evidence base for nurse-led, evidence-informed symptom management guides for patients undergoing cancer treatment.

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP

In this episode, Shena Gazaway joins us in a discussion of her nurse-led research, providing primary palliative care in patients’ homes— where this care is urgently needed but often overlooked. We explore how she leads serious illness conversations, manages complex chronic conditions, and builds trust with patients and families to ensure care aligns with their values.  

From qualitative studies to pilot-tested toolkits that empower patients and caregivers—especially in underserved Black communities—we explore what it truly means to lead with empathy, equity, and evidence. 

Whether you're a nephrology nurse wondering how to deepen your role or a provider curious about innovative palliative care pathways, this episode offers practical insights, personal stories, and a call for more providers in this vital space. 

Shena Gazaway PhD, RN, CHPN® 

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP

What role can psychedelics play in helping terminally ill patients face death with peace, clarity, and meaning? 

In this episode, we welcome Hannah Whitmore, PhD, RN, CHPN®, a Registered Nurse and PhD researcher whose work—The Pragmatism of Palliative Care—explores the clinical potential of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) to support death acceptance in patients at the end of life. Dr. Whitmore brings a compassionate and evidence-based lens to a topic that challenges long-standing models of care, offering insight into how PAT could be thoughtfully integrated into palliative and hospice settings. 

Together, we explore: 

This episode is a grounded, deeply human conversation at the intersection of medicine, mortality, and meaning—guided by a nurse scientist dedicated to easing suffering when it matters most. 

Hannah Whitmore, PhD, RN, CHPN®  
Certified hospice and palliative care nurse and clinician scientist, Dr. Whitmore supports individuals, families, and healthcare teams navigating serious illness and end-of-life transitions. Currently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), she combines hands-on experience with a holistic approach informed by the latest research, mindfulness practices, and symptom management expertise. Her research focuses on symptom science and the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapy to address existential distress, depression, and promote death acceptance in seriously ill individuals. A member of Sigma Global Nursing Excellence, Dr. Whitmore guides healthcare teams and provides culturally sensitive care to diverse populations. She collaborates with healthcare organizations to enhance palliative care services and empowers individuals and teams to find resilience and dignity in complex end-of-life situations. 

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP

In this special episode, recorded on June 24 and released on June 25, we bring you a timely dispatch from Washington, D.C., where the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) leadership and staff engaged in direct advocacy on Capitol Hill.  

Join Gayle Gerdes, Vice President of Health Policy Source and consultant to HPNA, and HPNA Manager of Advocacy and Health Policy Sarah Potter as they reflect on their experiences meeting with congressional staffers about HPNA’s public policy priorities and amplifying the voices of hospice and palliative care nurses. This episode offers an insider look at the policy priorities that matter in 2025, from protecting federal programs that support nursing research, education, and workforce development to enactment of policies that improve access to quality hospice and palliative care—and how HPNA is uniquely positioned as an interprofessional voice in the conversation.  

Key highlights include:  

Whether you’re new to policy or a seasoned advocate, this episode will leave you inspired to raise your voice—and equipped to do so effectively.  

Gayle Gerdes  
Gayle Gerdes is Vice President at Health Policy Source, a government relations firm in Washington, D.C. that provides strategic consulting and lobbying services to a broad group of clients in the health care space. Her health care background is an extensive mix of government and private sector experience. She spent several years on Capitol Hill where she worked in both the House and the Senate focusing her time on health care legislation. Later she moved to The Concord Coalition where she worked with the media, Members of Congress, and related organizations to educate the public on the federal budget and deficit. In particular, she delved into the relationship of Medicare and Social Security with the federal budget. In addition, Gayle has experience serving on the board of the Los Alamos Medical Center, and she has recently consulted for The Brooks Group and The Concord Coalition. Gayle graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B.A. in English and Communications. 

Sarah Potter
Sarah Potter is the Manager of Advocacy and Health Policy at the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA). Sarah has more than 20 years of experience in government relations, health policy, and communications, with a focus on healthcare workforce issues, Medicare, Medicaid, children’s health, quality improvement, and the Affordable Care Act. She has developed and implemented state and federal advocacy campaigns and advocacy education programs for several national organizations, including the Pew Charitable Trusts, Independent Sector, the Premier Healthcare Alliance, and the Brookings Institution. Sarah began her career on Capitol Hill as a legislative and communications staffer for Rep. Karen McCarthy of Missouri and Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and holds dual degrees in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Missouri  

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP

In this episode, we hear from Deb Russell, RN, MSN, FNP-BC, APRN-CNP, ACHPN® with more than 20 years in the field, currently leading care in an outpatient, harm-reduction-based palliative clinic. She provides palliative support to patients undergoing active cancer treatment who are also living with substance use disorders—a population with complex and often unmet needs. 

Deb shares firsthand insight into: 

Deb shares the unique challenges and clinical considerations—of meeting this patient population where they are—safely managing pain, communication, and care coordination. This conversation offers practical insights and compassionate strategies for anyone caring for patients with co-occurring serious illness and SUD. 

Deb Russell, RN, MSN, FNP-BC, APRN-CNP, ACHPN®

With over 18 years of experience mostly inpatient, now in the ambulatory setting, Deb works closely with the interdisciplinary team to develop care plans that improve patient outcomes. Deb is passionate about bridging the gap between oncology and addiction, advocating for treatment approaches that empower patients throughout their journey. 

Deb has co-authored a paper “Creating a Palliative Care Clinic for Patients with Cancer and Substance Use Disorder” and presented a poster at the Oncology Nursing Congress on” Nurse Practitioner Integration in a Multidisciplinary Team Caring for Patients with Cancer and Addiction”. 

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP

In this deeply personal and resonant episode, longtime hospice nurse and podcast host of The Heart of Hospice, Helen Bauer, BSN RN CHPN®, shares an intimate look at the soul of hospice nursing — the part that’s rarely documented but always deeply felt. With more than seven years behind the mic and a career alongside patients and families at the bedside, Helen reflects on the intimacy and intensity of hospice care, and the challenges of translating those sacred moments into clinical notes and checkboxes. 

Together, we explore the personhood-centered mindset that defines exceptional hospice nursing: arriving as a blank slate, open and eager to learn who the patient is, then crafting care that honors the individual’s story, values, and needs. Helen speaks candidly about the emotional toll of the work, the cumulative grief nurses carry, and the resilience it takes to keep showing up — not just for patients, but for ourselves. 

Listeners will hear reflections on: 

This episode is a tribute to hospice nurses everywhere — a reminder that your work matters, your presence is powerful, and you are just as important as the care you provide. 

Whether you're a hospice nurse, a health care professional, or a family member navigating end-of-life care, this episode will speak to the heart of what it means to accompany someone at life’s end — with compassion, courage, and creativity. 

Helen Bauer, BSN RN CHPN® 

As the founder of Hospice Navigation Services, Helen provides unbiased, expert guidance and support for individuals and families navigating the complexities of hospice and serious illness. Her work as an End of Life Educator and Advocate focuses on empowering caregivers and hospice workers, ensuring that those facing serious illness experience the best possible care at the end of life. Known for her compassion, empathy, and respect, she remains a trusted resource in the field of hospice care. 

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP