Innovations in End-of-Life Care
an international journal of leaders in end-of-life care

Eleanor E. (Betsy) Clark, RN, CHPN

Currently, Ms. Clark is the Coordinator of Professional Development for Hospice & Palliative CareCenter, where she develops and maintains patient/caregiver teaching information for use by clinical staff; develops disease specific information for the medical community; acts as agency contact for local hospitals to assist with development of palliative care units and provides palliative care consults as needed; offers curriculum review for staff pursuing specialty certification in hospice and palliative care; serves as external agency contact for state and national organizations; and provides curriculum development for educational programs that promote professional development for health care professionals with respect to the field of hospice and palliative care.

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Joan M. Blais, MPA

Joan M. Blais, MPA, has been the head of the West Coast Center for Palliative Education and Research (WCCPER) in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center since its inception in 1995. A skilled grant writer and program administrator, she has been instrumental in securing a stream of extramural funding sources in order to insure the program’s success. Over the years she has administered palliative care programs in rural areas, prisons, and at the UC Davis Cancer Center; she has also developed highly rated palliative care educational programs for physicians, nurses, residents and medical students. Her extensive knowledge and background in the field of palliative care has been instrumental in ensuring that UC Davis is viewed as a major contributor to the field of palliative care.

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Karen Bell RN, BSN, MBA

In the mid 1970s, Ms. Bell resolved to make end-of-life care her career when she attended a lecture in Portland by Dr. Cicely Saunders about her pioneering work in hospice; this career direction was confirmed when she later heard Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross speak. Ms. Bell acknowledges that she is fortunate to work now with a talented and caring staff who provide services to dying patients and their families across a range of settings (from acute care to patients' residences) within the Providence Health System, which has a high regard for end-of-life work and supports innovation.

Ms. Bell earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Oregon Health Sciences University in 1976, and a Masters in Business Administration from City University, Portland, Oregon, in 1991.

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Rick Warren, APRN, BC

With a background in respiratory care, oncology nursing, and hospice, Rick has worked at Providence Health Systems in Portland, Oregon for over twenty years. He is a certified hospice nurse and holds a certification as an adult nurse practitioner. In his current role as an advanced practice nurse (APN) he develops and manages programs aimed at creating a more seamless continuum of care for patients with advanced illness.

In collaboration with Karen Bell, the director of hospice and palliative care at Providence, he developed this unique role for APNs. Providing education to the public and health care providers, serving as a clinical resource to the hospice and palliative care team, and conducting research are central to this role. “I am absolutely convinced that we underutilize nurse practitioners in end-of-life care.”

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