Palliative Care Nursing: Caring for Suffering Patients

Kathleen Ouimet Perrin, PhD, RN, is Professor Emerita of Nursing at Saint Anselm College, Manchester, New Hampshire, where she has taught courses in critical care nursing, professional nursing, understanding suffering, and evidence based practice to baccalaureate and RN to BSN students. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; her master's from Boston College; and her doctoral degree from the Union Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio. Her primary areas of interest and publication are critical care nursing, ethical issues, nursing history, and suffering experienced by patients and healthcare providers. Caryn A. Sheehan, DNP, APRN-BC is Professor of Nursing at Saint Anselm College, Manchester, New Hampshire, where she teaches geriatric and medical/surgical nursing to baccalaureate nursing students. She received her bachelor's degree from Saint Anselm College, her master's from Boston College, and her doctoral degree from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. Her primary areas of professional interest, publication, and practice include technology in nursing education, men's health, oncology, hospice, chronic pain, gratitude, and quality of life. Mertie L. Potter, DNP, APRN-BC, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC is Professor Emerita of Nursing at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions (The MGH Institute) in Boston, Massachusetts. She currently counsels and prescribes for patients across the life span at Merrimack Valley Counseling Association in Nashua, NH and continues to precept psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) students from The MGH Institute. She received her bachelor's degree from Simmons College, her master's from the University of Michigan, her doctoral degree from Case Western Reserve University, and her certificate in Family PMHNP Post Master’s Certificate Program at Rutgers University. Her special interest areas are grieving, spirituality, body-mind-spirit health, nursing theory, suffering, medical missions, and open consultation with patients and PMHNP students. Mary K. Kazanowski, PhD, APRN-BC, ACHPN, is a nurse practitioner on the Palliative Care Team at Elliot Hospital.. She received her bachelor's degree from Saint Anselm College, her master's from Boston University, and her doctoral degree from Boston College. Her special interests are in symptom management and the implementation of palliative and hospice care into the healthcare system.