Palliative Perspective Podcast

In this powerful episode, longtime HPNA member Linda Blum, APRN shares experiences from the last few years of her rich nursing career in volunteerism —training incarcerated caregivers in a California state prison hospice program. Linda explores the ethical complexity of end-of-life care behind bars, from POLST conflicts and CPR decisions to pain management in a correctional setting where Medicare rules don’t apply. 

Through ELNEC education and interdisciplinary collaboration, she’s helping nurses, correctional officers, and incarcerated caregivers reclaim agency and restore dignity at the end of life. This conversation examines moral distress, serious illness communication, and the transformative power of “risking love” in some of the most marginalized settings. 

A moving reflection on bearing witness, professional courage, and the light within us all.

About Humane Prison Hospice Project 

The Humane Prison Hospice Project is developing a humanitarian, cost-effective, and transformative solution to ensure that those aging and dying in prison receive compassionate care. Since 2017, the Humane Prison Hospice Project has worked to ensure that incarcerated individuals receive compassionate end-of-life care from trained peers. Humane implements a comprehensive 80-hour, 15-module curriculum to train incarcerated individuals as peer caregivers, equipping them with the skills to provide hands-on care and emotional support to their aging and terminally ill peers. Graduates of this program are part of a growing movement to humanize end-of-life care behind bars. Since launching this initiative, we have trained over 150 peer caregivers across California prisons, and are bringing our programming to three states—Michigan, Washington, and Oregon—marking our first step toward national replication. Learn more on their website: https://humaneprisonhospiceproject.org/ 

For anyone listening who has experience in hospice, nursing, programming in prisons or facilitating, and you live in CA, WA, MI, or OR, Humane is seeking volunteer facilitators who participate in trainings for peer caregivers in prisons across each state. We'd love to hear from you -- please reach out to Camila Ryder at [email protected] with your name, location, and any relevant experience. If you're interested in learning more, register via Zoom for one of our virtual monthly Informational Meetings. 

 

 

Linda Blum, GNP, MSN, RN  
Linda Blum, GNP, MSN, RN, is a retired gerontological nurse practitioner living in California. Born and raised in New York State, she moved to the Bay Area over 45 years ago. Her early career included work in virology and immunology laboratories before she left a PhD program after the birth of her first child. She later worked as a birth doula and photographer and entered nursing school intending to become a nurse midwife. Instead, her path led her to the care of people with serious illness. She often jokes that she has a poor sense of direction and found end of life, not beginning of life, as she prefers anxious children to anxious parents. 

Linda worked in home infusion and home hospice as a case manager and manager before returning to school for her at UCSF and then completing a palliative medicine fellowship at the VA in Palo Alto. She was  hired as the first clinician to provide palliative care/medicine consultation at California Pacific Medical Center. 

Since retiring in 2023, Linda has volunteered her time and expertise with the Humane Prison Hospice Project, where she facilitates training for incarcerated individuals serving as peer caregivers. Her passion is helping to train nurses and professional staff in the carceral setting using a modified ELNEC curriculum. 

Linda enjoys traveling, caring for her grandchildren, and telling silly jokes and puns. Her spirit animal is a penguin—preferably a Gentoo—and if you ask for photos, your inbox may quickly overflow.  

 

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP
Dr. Brett Snodgrass has been a registered nurse for 28 years and a Family Nurse Practitioner for 18 years, practicing in multiple settings, including family practice, urgent care, emergency departments, administration, chronic pain and palliative medicine. She is currently the Operations Director for Palliative Medicine at Baptist Health Systems in Memphis, TN. She is board certified with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is also a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse. She completed a Doctorate of Nursing Practice at the University of Alabama – Huntsville. She is a nationally recognized nurse practitioner speaker and teacher. Brett is a chronic pain expert, working for more than 20 years with chronic pain and palliative patients in a variety of settings. She is honored to be the HPNA 2025 podcast host. She is married with two daughters, two son in laws, one grandson, and now an empty nest cat. She and her family are actively involved in their church and she is an avid reader.

Health care inclusivity is more than a framework, it’s a daily practice that shapes learning, teamwork, and patient outcomes. In this episode of HPNA’s Palliative Perspective, Jill, Vanessa, and Jenn—longtime collaborators in nursing professional development and creators of Disruptor Diaries—explore what health care inclusivity truly means across education, clinical practice, and the workforce. 

Drawing from lived experience in cardiovascular, neuro-trauma ICU, emergency nursing, home health, and hospice and palliative care, the guests discuss inclusive and active learning environments, the importance of belonging, and how thoughtful, aware interactions can transform both professional development and patient care. They also share the “why” behind their self-published learning guide Healthcare Education: Strategies for Inclusive Learning, created to fill a critical gap in healthcare education during a complex political and organizational landscape. 

This conversation invites listeners of all roles to reflect: Am I creating an inclusive environment? What is important to this person? And why does inclusivity matter now more than ever? 

 

 

Jillian Russell, MSN, RN, NPDA-BC® 
Jillian is a nursing professional development specialist dedicated to upholding and advancing the Nursing and Nursing Professional Development Scope and Standards of Practice. A passionate advocate for excellence in nursing education and professional growth, she leverages innovative, evidence-based strategies to support nurses at every stage of their careers. Committed to fostering inclusive learning environments, Jillian ensures that all learners—regardless of their background, experience, or learning style—feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. She actively works to break down barriers to learning by promoting equitable access to resources, cultivating psychological safety, and amplifying diverse perspectives in healthcare education. 

 

Jennifer Bodine, DNP, MHA, RN, NPDA-BC®, CEN  
Jenn is a nursing professional development specialist committed to ensuring equitable professional growth for all. With a nursing background, she recognizes the vital need for inclusive learning environments that support all 

healthcare professionals, regardless of their setting. Jenn brings a thoughtful, learner-centered approach to professional development. Driven by a passion for equity and lifelong learning, Jenn believes that when healthcare teams feel seen, supported, and valued, they are better equipped to collaborate, innovate, and deliver patient-centered care. 

 

Vanessa Cameron, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CEN, CNL 
Vanessa is a nursing professional development specialist, a physically disabled nurse, a PhD candidate researching ableism in healthcare, and a dedicated disability advocate. Her journey over the past six years has centered on unlearning exclusionary practices, with a deep focus on ableism and disability equity since becoming disabled herself. Lived experience has made her a stronger nurse, educator, and advocate. Through this Inclusive Learning Guide, she shares insights from both personal and professional perspectives—empowering you to cultivate inclusive learning environments that promote equity in healthcare and improve patient and community outcomes. While her background is in nursing and continuing professional development, this guide is designed for use across all learning spaces, from academia to interprofessional settings. 

 

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP
Dr. Brett Snodgrass has been a registered nurse for 28 years and a Family Nurse Practitioner for 18 years, practicing in multiple settings, including family practice, urgent care, emergency departments, administration, chronic pain and palliative medicine. She is currently the Operations Director for Palliative Medicine at Baptist Health Systems in Memphis, TN. She is board certified with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is also a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse. She completed a Doctorate of Nursing Practice at the University of Alabama – Huntsville. She is a nationally recognized nurse practitioner speaker and teacher. Brett is a chronic pain expert, working for more than 20 years with chronic pain and palliative patients in a variety of settings. She is honored to be the HPNA 2025 podcast host. She is married with two daughters, two son in laws, one grandson, and now an empty nest cat. She and her family are actively involved in their church and she is an avid reader.

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®
Esther Pepper, RN, BSN, CHPN®, a veteran hospice nurse from Alaska with more than 20 years of compassionate service. Her debut memoir, My Calling: Chronicles of an Alaskan Hospice Nurse (MindStir Media, October 2024), reflects her deep commitment to caring for others in their final stages of life. 

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP
Dr. Brett Snodgrass has been a registered nurse for 28 years and a Family Nurse Practitioner for 18 years, practicing in multiple settings, including family practice, urgent care, emergency departments, administration, chronic pain and palliative medicine. She is currently the Operations Director for Palliative Medicine at Baptist Health Systems in Memphis, TN. She is board certified with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is also a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse. She completed a Doctorate of Nursing Practice at the University of Alabama – Huntsville. She is a nationally recognized nurse practitioner speaker and teacher. Brett is a chronic pain expert, working for more than 20 years with chronic pain and palliative patients in a variety of settings. She is honored to be the HPNA 2025 podcast host. She is married with two daughters, two son in laws, one grandson, and now an empty nest cat. She and her family are actively involved in their church and she is an avid reader.

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: 

A Comprehensive Cancer Care Model 

An Acuity Score to Predict Patient Hospitalization 

An Interdisciplinary Comfort Care Initiative at an Academic Hospital 

Providing Bereavement Support in an Underserved Medical Community  

Integrating Palliative Care with Liver Transplant Candidate Evaluation 

Reflective Practice Moral Distress Intervention For Clinicians Providing Pediatric Palliative Care 

Goals of Care Consultations Impact Hospital Mortality and Transition Planning  

A Novel Approach to Expert Communication Training 

The role of altruism in marginal hospice patient recertification  

Perspectives from Surgical Critical Care Identifying Indicators for Early Palliative Care  

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.