Left to Right: Maria Erci Guisadio-Abis, Reid Watanabe, Joy Bliss, Petra Ranches, Airy Mae Stocker, Sandy Mahea Anderson, Michael Pasete, Norman Aquino.
A group of HPU alumni from the nursing, social work, public health and business administration programs attended the Palliative Care Primer for Healthcare Workers on May 31st, 2025, at HPU Aloha Tower Marketplace, led by HPU Alumni Social Worker Airy Mae Stocker and Dr. Naomi Morita (Honolulu’s Palliative expert). This group will be working towards steering a newly established palliative care team at HPU to assist nursing students, social workers and public health students to play an important role in understanding palliative care, hospice and communication with family and survivors. The team will play a role in setting up clinical placements in the community at St. Francis Palliative Care Units and Hospice, to give our nursing students invaluable hands-on experience in providing compassionate care for patients with serious and life-limiting illnesses. HPU Assistant Professor Joy Bliss, Ph.D., will also be designing simulations for “effective listening and communication skills,” to enhance student’s performance and skills in grief and this specialty of nursing.
Left to right: Naomi Morita, Joy Bliss, Airy Mae Stocker.
Bliss, who has a long-standing commitment to palliative care, will be assisting in the nursing department. She has previously been part of a bereavement team in a large teaching hospital setting and specifically setting up one in Obstetrics. She has also worked as a liaison for a funeral home, helping survivors connect with community support groups during difficult times. Bliss taught and created a one-credit online course (NUR 380) in palliative care with a certification. She has spoken at various death and dying conferences, addressing the unique challenges of children’s interpretation of death. Her own personal journey with end-of-life care and support services has paved the way for her unique understanding and desire to assist with a comprehensive, student-centered approach to palliative care education at HPU SON with Hui Pohala and Kokua Mau.
This initiative is not only an opportunity to strengthen the clinical training of nursing students, but also an essential step forward in improving the availability and quality of palliative care in Hawaiʻi. The collaboration with St. Francis Palliative Care Units and Hospice will allow students to learn from experienced palliative and hospice professionals while gaining practical knowledge of the interdisciplinary care model, which is essential for holistic patient care in palliative settings.
This partnership with Hui Pohala will enhance HPU’s nursing students’ educational experiences and help build a strong foundation for future palliative care professionals in Hawaiʻi. Hui Pohala is a growing coalition of diverse stakeholders working to improve access to high quality palliative care throughout Hawaiʻi. The mission is to serve as a catalyst and convener to improve access to high quality palliative care, and the Vision is for the people of Hawaiʻi with serious illness to have access to high quality, team based, person centered palliative care, in the setting they prefer. Hui Pahala’s (Support the Work) website is: https://huipohala.org/support/
Kokua Mau strives to improve the quality of life for people of Hawaiʻi by promoting excellence and innovation in hospice, end of life, palliative care, and early advance care planning. Kokua Mau’s website is: www.kokuamau.org.
