Meet Patience Mbozi: Winner of the 2023 HPNF Judy Lentz Scholarship for the Advancement of Palliative Care

The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) Judy Lentz Scholarship for the Advancement of Palliative Care in Oncology Nursing provides a registered nurse who is a member of the Oncology Nursing Society with a one-year membership to the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA), as well as conference registration for the Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care. This year’s winner is Patience Mbozi from Zambia, Africa.

Mbozi is a senior lecturer in the nursing department at Chreso University and served as the lead palliative care nurse at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Zambia. She received a diploma of higher education palliative care at Nairobi Hospice with Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom; a BSc in palliative care at the Institute for Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa in affiliation with Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda; and her master’s degree in palliative care nursing at Oxford Brookes University.

Mbozi has worked in both adult and children’s palliative care and was identified as a key person in the ongoing development of palliative care in Zambia through the Integrate project run by the University of Edinburgh, the African Palliative Care Association, and colleagues. HPNF is honored to recognize Mbozi. We recently had a chance to learn more about her when she joined us in a virtual meeting.

1. What led you to a career in palliative care nursing?

“Working at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Zambia was quite challenging, as I was always faced with patients with so much pain, not only physical pain but also holistic/total pain. I wanted to be able to meet their needs and provide some solutions to these patients. I also wanted to be able to share the palliative care knowledge with other healthcare staff members working with patients with incurable and life-threatening illness, hence the reason I decided to pursue the palliative care career to MSc level.”

2. What is most rewarding about your job?

“Seeing my patients peaceful after a series of encounters with them after offering palliative care services is so satisfying. What I mean is, seeing my patients totally pain free is so rewarding. The other aspect is that when I was able to carry the patients’ families along through a series of family conferences, families were then able to respond well to the patients’ illnesses, and they became active members of not only that palliative care team but also the healthcare team.”

3. Anything else you’d like to share about winning the Judy Lentz Scholarship?

“Receiving this scholarship has humbled me. The HPNA membership provided by this scholarship has enabled me to meet people with similar interest in palliative care as me, which is a wonderful experience. I also have seen quite a number of educational, research, and conference opportunities that I would like to be part of as I continue the HPNA membership. The virtual conference provided by the scholarship enabled me to learn a lot through the keynote sessions, posters, and on-demand recorded sessions and also meet new inspirational people virtually.”

For more information on HPNF awards and scholarships, visit www.advancingexpertcare.org/hpnf/ or email info@hpnf.org.