Massachusetts Nursing Taskforce
What We Do
Our taskforce is committed to strengthening nurses’ abilities and confidence to provide high-quality, inclusive, and equitable care for all people living with serious illness in Massachusetts regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity or ability. We achieve this goal by:
- Integrating national nursing competencies for caring for individuals with serious illness into Massachusetts’ nursing programs
- Developing and sustaining a nursing workforce committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in delivering care to persons living with serious illness through strategic partnerships with a variety of organizations
- Ensuring adequate primary and specialty palliative training in clinical settings
- Challenging all Massachusetts nurses to lead the way in having conversations about serious illness within their own families and communities
Nursing Resources Library
The Nursing Taskforce Resources Workgroup identified and vetted resources about serious illness care for faculty to incorporate into teaching materials. It includes videos, case studies, articles, and more -- and most of them are free to use.
MACN Endorsement of CARES & G-CARES Competencies
The Massachusetts Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (MACN) announced the endorsement of the CARES Competencies, a set of 17 key competencies necessary for nurses to provide high-quality care to patients and families facing serious illness, along with the G-CARES competencies for graduate level nursing students.
State-wide Survey of BSN Programs
We heard from over 20 baccalaureate nursing programs in Massachusetts about how caring for people with serious illness is integrated into curricula. Overall, we found broad course integration of serious illness care content throughout programs, low rates of End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) resource utilization, and an eagerness to partner with the Coalition for statewide collaboration on education efforts.
We Pledge to Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
Our taskforce endorses the Organization of Nurse Leaders' position statement on diversity, equity, and inclusivity, which was developed in partnership with the New England Regional Black Nurses Association. We encourage all nurses to take the pledge and hold each other accountable.
Taskforce Members
Advisory Board:
- Maureen Bisognano, The Institute for Healthcare Improvement
- Joan Vitello, Graduate School of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Medical School
- Diane Welsh, School of Nursing at Regis College
Leadership Council:
- Co-Chair: Priscilla Gazarian, University of Massachusetts Boston, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Co-Chair: Susan Lysaght Hurley, Care Dimensions, Inc
- Connie Dahlin, Center to Advance Palliative Care
- Susan DeSanto-Madeya, University of Rhode Island College of Nursing
- Judith Pare, University of Massachusetts Boston, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Jennifer Morgan, University of Massachusetts Boston, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Raeann Leblanc, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Members:
- Suha Ballout, University of Massachusetts Boston, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Jane Flanagan, Boston College Connell School of Nursing
- Amanda Murphy, Ariadne Labs
Publications
Dahlin C, DeSanto-Madeya S, LHurley SL, Chan SH, Wood O, Barron A-M, Gazarian PK. Understanding primary palliative nursing education in undergraduate nursing programs. Journal of Professional Nursing. 46(May-June 2023): 205-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2023.02.013
Pare, J. Sharing Resources to Disseminate Knowledge and Improve Comfort Theory-Guided Practice. Nursology. March 7, 2023. Accessed March 7, 2023: https://nursology.net/2023/03/07/sharing-resources-to-disseminate-knowledge-and-improve-comfort-theory-guided-practice/
Hurley SL, Wood O, Chan SH, Dahlin C, Desanto-Madeya S, Gazarian P, Gosline A, Barron A-M. Assessment of Massachusetts Baccalaureate Nursing Programs for Palliative Care and Serious Illness Content. Conference presentation at: American Association of Colleges of Nursing TRANSFORM 2022; December 1-3, 2022; Chicago, IL.
Dahlin C, Hurley SL, DeSanto-Madeya S, Wood O, Chan SH, Gazarian P, Gosline A, Barron A-M. Promoting Primary Palliative Nursing In Massachusetts Baccalaureate Nursing Programs. Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts: Annual Education Conference; October 26, 2022; Norwood, MA.
Hurley SL, Wood O, Chan SH, Dahlin C, Desanto-Madeya S, Gazarian P, Gosline A, Barron A-M. Assessment of Massachusetts Baccalaureate Nursing Programs for Palliative Care and Serious Illness Content. Conference presentation at: McGill International Palliative Care Congress; October 18-21, 2022; Montreal, Canada.
Gazarian P & Hurley SL. Serious Illness Care in Nursing Education: A Conversation About Best Practices. Oral Presentation: Nursing Grand Rounds, Mass General Brigham; November 18, 2021; Boston, MA.