Nursing professor named Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing

Dr. Susan Breakwell, clinical professor and director of the Institute for Palliative and End of Life Care in the College of Nursing, has been named a Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing by the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.

The designation of Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing is bestowed upon HPNA members who have made significant contributions to the HPNA, while also impacting the field of palliative nursing. This privilege recognizes leadership and a visionary spirit. HPNA Fellows are nurses who have promoted and advanced both the specialty of palliative nursing and the mission of HPNA by advancing expert care in serious illness.

“This is such a tremendous honor for Dr. Breakwell, and the College of Nursing is extremely proud of the work she has done to deserve this recognition,” said Dr. Janet Wessel Krejci, dean of the College of Nursing. “So much of the university’s values are embodied with the education and resources provided by the Institute for Palliative and End of Life Care. Through her leadership, the institute continues to provide compassionate and quality education in the field of palliative care.”

Breakwell joined Marquette in 2011 after spending 14 years at Rush University in Chicago. She also serves as the education committee chair and board member of the International Home Care Nurses Organization.

The College of Nursing’s Institute for Palliative and End of Life Care aims to change the status of palliative, serious illness, and end-of-life care and education by educating students, clinicians from multiple disciplines, and the public about palliative care. The IPEOLC promotes research and quality initiatives and serves as a resource for information with the aim of further improving this area of care.

The HPNA was established in 1986 and is the national professional organization that represents the specialty of palliative nursing, which includes hospice and palliative nurses. The organization supports the profession through education programs, research initiatives and advocacy.