Schedule

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The following times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Thursday, May 7, 2026

6:30 a.m . – 7:00 a.m.
Pre-Conference Sessions Check In
7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Pre-Conference Sessions
7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Morning Sessions
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Nessa Coyle Lectureship & Opening Keynote Session – The Leadership Imperative: Preparing Nurses to Shape the Future of Hospice and Palliative Care
Keynote Speaker: Michelle Webb, DNP, RN, CHPCA®, FPCN®

The future of hospice and palliative care depends on strong nursing leadership that can navigate complexity, influence policy, and drive innovation. This lecture highlights the leadership imperative facing nurses today: to step into roles that shape care delivery, advocate for equity, and lead interdisciplinary teams toward excellence.

Attendees will examine trends impacting palliative care, the competencies required for leadership success, and strategies to prepare nurses for positions of influence. This session offers inspiration and practical guidance for nurses committed to leading change in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Poster Preview Session
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch on your own
Posters and Exhibits
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

Following the Symptom Management Cues in CAHPS and HOPE
Compassion Meets Innovation: AI and Simulation in Palliative Care Nursing Education
Code Comfort: Prioritizing Palliative Care for Better Outcomes in the ICU
How to Include Family in Your Patient Experience

2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Break and Exhibits
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

Gabapentin: Possible Deterrent for End-of-Life Agitation?
Respiro: A Global Learning Experience for US and Mexican Palliative Care Development
Measure What Matters: Navigating the Benchmarking Gap in Palliative Care
Trauma-Informed and Equitable Approaches to Medical Treatment Goals Discussions

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Closing Keynote Session: Finding Your Folks: The Importance of Building Social Networks as Palliative Care Clinicians
Keynote Speakers: Shena Gazaway, PhD, MSN, RN, CHPN®, FPCN®, Brandon M. Varilek, PhD, RN, CCTC, CNE®, CHPN®, FPCN®, and Rachel Wells, PhD, MSN, RN, CNL, CHPN®, FPCN®

This session highlights the emotional demands of palliative and hospice care, especially for solo clinicians, researchers, and small teams, and the resulting risks of burnout, isolation, and moral injury. It introduces “Finding Your Folks,” a session focused on building intentional peer support networks that foster resilience, psychological safety, and interdisciplinary connection. Drawing on research and clinical experience, it offers practical strategies to cultivate meaningful relationships that normalize vulnerability and restore purpose. Ultimately, the session reframes connection not as optional self-care, but as a collective necessity to sustain compassionate care and uphold the humanity at the heart of this vital work.

6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Networking Event
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) Reception

Friday, May 8, 2026

7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Morning Sessions
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Exhibits
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Keynote Session – Comfort in a Box: Practical Guidance on Hospice Medications for Clinicians, Families, and Caregivers
Keynote Speakers: Alexandra L. McPherson PharmD, MPH and Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, PhD, FAAHPM
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Break & Exhibits
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
HPNA Membership Meeting and Networking Activity
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Break & Exhibits
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) Certification Luncheon
1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Break & Exhibits
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

SLP Secrets to Swallowing: Dysphagia Tips for Hospice Nurses
Beyond the Heart: Innovative Approaches to End-of-Life Symptom Management in Advanced Heart Failure
Enhancing Organizational Engagement through First Friday Education and Professional Development
Twilight Grief: Exploring the Continuum of Disenfranchised Pre-Death Loss

2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Break & Exhibits
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

The Anticoagulant Conundrum: Facts, Fallacy, and Finding the Right Words
ADAPT: A Novel Digital Adaptive Self-Care Approach to Integrated Palliative and Bereavement Care
Clinical Lectureship – Painting the Picture – Advocating for Patients Through Documentation
Break the Silence: Using Your Voice to Transform Care, Build Trust, and Advance Equity in Serious Illness

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Closing Session: A Purposeful Career: Leadership, Growth, and Authentic Connections
Keynote Speaker: Ginger Marshall, MSN, ACNP-BC, ACHPN®, FPCN®

This session explores the essential principles for creating a fulfilling and impactful career. Ginger will discuss how to bridge organizational hierarchies, embrace curiosity, and master patience and timing in your professional journey. Learn why volunteerism and non-profit engagement pay long-term dividends, and how working with people you genuinely like fosters success. This session will also cover the importance of trusting your instincts, investing in yourself, and setting healthy boundaries—because doing the right thing and protecting your well-being are key to sustainable growth.

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