Ep. 54 - Hospice Highlights from an Alaskan Hospice Nurse

About this episode

Esther Pepper shares her experiences as a hospice nurse in Alaska, discussing the emotional and practical aspects of end-of-life care.

In this moving episode of HPNA Palliative Perspective, we welcome Esther Pepper, RN, BSN, CHPN®, a veteran hospice nurse from Alaska whose more than two decades of compassionate service have shaped her debut memoir, My Calling: Chronicles of an Alaskan Hospice Nurse. Drawing from years on the front lines of end-of-life care, Esther shares what hospice nursing truly looks like—the challenges, the grace, and the profound human connections formed along the way. Together, we explore the emotional and spiritual dimensions of dying that often go unspoken, practical strategies for symptom management, and how caregivers can nurture both their patients and themselves. Join us for a heartfelt conversation that celebrates the courage, compassion, and calling behind hospice work—and the enduring lessons learned from those at life’s final threshold. Esther Pepper, RN, BSN, CHPN®Esther Pepper, RN, BSN, CHPN®, a veteran hospice nurse from Alaska with more than 20 years of compassionate service. Her debut memoir, My Calling: Chronicles of an Alaskan Hospice Nurse (MindStir Media, October 2024), reflects her deep commitment to caring for others in their final stages of life. Brett Snodgrass, DNP…

People in this episode

Host: Brett Snodgrass

Guest: Esther Pepper

Topics covered

• hospice nursing
• end-of-life care
• compassionate service
• symptom management
• emotional dimensions of dying

Keywords

• hospice
• nursing
• end-of-life
• caregiving
• symptom management
• compassion
• memoir

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: HPNA

Books & works: My Calling: Chronicles of an Alaskan Hospice Nurse

More episodes of Palliative Perspective Podcast

• Ep. 59 - Finding Our Professional Home: Community, Connection, and the Future of Hospice & Palliative Nursing · June 1, 2026 · 28 min
• Ep. 58 - After Five: The Other 123 Hours of Hospice Care · May 1, 2026 · 23 min
• Ep. 57 - I’m Not Dead if I’m Still Talking: Behind the Film A Butterfly Has Been Released · April 1, 2026 · 23 min
• Ep. 56 - Risking Love: Hospice, Palliative Care, and Humanity Behind Bars · March 2, 2026 · 24 min
• Ep. 55 - Inclusive Learning as a Disruptor: Redefining How Health Care Learns · February 2, 2026 · 33 min
• Ep. 53 - Leading Through Uncertainty: Truth-Telling, Mentorship, and the Power of Process · December 1, 2025 · 29 min