PCNOW 10-Year Anniversary: My Journey to Become a Hospice and Palliative Nurse
By Jessica Lisinski – PCNOW Chair

Growing up, my grandpa always wanted me to be a nurse.  Having worked as a nursing assistant since my junior year in high school and despite my grandpa’s wishes, I had absolutely no intention of becoming a nurse – I had plans to be an engineer! Two semesters into my biomedical engineering program, I realized that college-level physics and calculus taught in broken English was not something I was going to master.  A quick pivot and I was enrolled in a BSN program.

May 20, 2000, is a day that will always live in my memories.  The night prior, I had been sitting at Grandpa’s bedside as he experienced terminal restlessness in the final stages of multiple myeloma.  Between doses of Haldol, I held his hand and talked to him about how much he meant to me.  I shared with him that I wouldn’t be at his bedside in the morning because I was graduating with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Remarkably, he made sure to hang on for news of my graduation and took his last breaths 2 hours after the ceremony concluded.  It was at that moment that I learned that even in periods of minimal responsiveness, people at the end of life can both hear and hang on for what is important to them.

A few years after Grandpa passed, I was at Grandma’s bedside as she took her last breaths after a battle with metastatic colon cancer.  Her treatment journey wasn’t easy, and I truly don’t know if choosing aggressive treatment until close to the end was her choice, or if she wasn’t presented with other options.  Hospice was finally on board in the final weeks, and I was able to follow their instructions and keep Grandma home for a peaceful passing in her own bed.

My nursing path has traveled in some interesting directions: med/surg (because everyone told me this is where nurses start their careers!), operating room, and long-term care.  In 2007, I needed a change.  My experience with the loss of my grandparents made me think that maybe I should try hospice.  I applied for and was offered a position as a home hospice case manager.  Unknown to me at that time, I had finally found my calling.  Meeting patients and families where they are at, honoring choices, and supporting people through one of the most difficult times in their lives has brought meaning to my nursing practice.  It has also led to professional achievements such as Hospice and Palliative Certification since 2010, a graduate degree, and an active role on the PCNOW Board of Directors since 2016.  These achievements allow me to lead by example and expand the reach of hospice and palliative care in the community I serve.

As I reflect upon my 30 years in health care, and 25 years as an RN (18 of which have been in the hospice and palliative care space), I am filled with awe and gratitude for the unexpected path that led me to where I am today.  My purpose as an RN is truly to help patients and families determine their goals, connect with the right care at the right time, and receive the physical, emotional, and spiritual care that they need to fulfill the goals that they wish to achieve.  It has been both an honor and privilege.