Salve Regina University

Through much of my professional life, I have been committed to learning about and providing excellent care at end of life. From the early days of participating in the establishment of a local community-based hospice, the idea of finding a better way to ensure quality of life at end of life has been a driving force for me. It has been my professional passion and one that I try to encourage within my students. This is not an easy task since nursing students are overwhelmingly interested in making patients better, not supporting them at end of life. Palliative care and quality end of life care, however, are holistic concepts that transcend all areas of practice and often impact us, not only as professional caregivers, but personally as well. It is my goal to help students realize the importance of palliative care, to apply it in a variety of practice settings and to foster professional growth, knowledge and research into improving care at end of life.

I am also committed to mentoring and supporting students as they grow within their professional role. I believe that working with students in the Student Nurse Organization, bringing students to professional conferences, supporting their personal and professional growth are part of my professional responsibility both as a nurse and as an educator. It is both exciting and rewarding to share in the education of the future of nursing.