Invitation to the first New Hospice and Palliative Collaborative meeting

Dear Gracious Colleagues,

First, Anne, Diana, and I want to share our deep concern and heartbreak for our colleagues who has suffered due to the fires. Please know that our thoughts are with you.

For those who responded to our earlier query about forming a new Hospice and Palliative collaborative, thank you. With HPNA-LARC now dissolved by our parent organization, Anne and I have taken time to reflect on the invaluable lessons learned over our 17 years of existence.

Recap for those who received our emails:

We are inspired by the strength of this network of professionals and see an opportunity to build something even greater—something that addresses past limitations while expanding to include more voices. Here is what we envision:

• Multidisciplinary Membership: We aim to welcome voting members from across the Hospice and Palliative community, including (but not limited to) RNs, APRNs, LVNs, Care Partners, Social Workers, Chaplains, Doulas, Physicians, PAs, Administrators, and Volunteers.
• Equal Voice: Every member will have an equal voice and the opportunity to take on leadership roles.
• No Initial Dues: Membership will be free, at least in the initial phase.
• New Bylaws: The HPNA-LARC bylaws are no longer applicable. Together, members will draft new bylaws that reflect our multidisciplinary structure and evolving priorities.

We need your input:
We want this organization to reflect your needs and priorities. Please let us know what you value most by sharing your thoughts by posting your thoughts on Nursing network sight or emailing us.  Here are some potential focus areas:

• Educational opportunities featuring speakers from diverse disciplines (with possible CE credits).
• Outreach and charitable initiatives.
• Addressing transitions of care across practice areas (hospital, LTC, clinic, home).
• Supporting caregivers with emotional challenges.
• Updates on new pharmacology and products (including potential presentations from representatives).
• Advocacy work on regulatory and legislative issues (possibly collaborating with other professional organizations).
• Administrative challenges in the field.
• Strategies to combat frequent turnover in Hospice and Palliative organizations.
• Other ideas? This will be your organization, so we welcome your creativity and input!

Although Anne and I are organizing the first meeting, we want to emphasize that we do not see ourselves as the formal leaders of this initiative. Our goal is to foster collaboration and provide a foundation for this invaluable network to thrive.

We are working on a virtual meeting for the last week in March.  Please let us know it this sounds good to you and what are your date preferences. 

Warm regards,
Jeannie and Anne