The Coalition makes speakers available on a wide variety of topics. There is no fee for these presentations. We educate both medical professionals and the general public about end-of-life and palliative care.
If you're interested in scheduling a speaker, email us at info@valleycoalition.org.
Sample Topics For Health Care Professionals:
- Pain Management
- POLST (Physician’s Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment)
- Communication skills for discussing difficult topics with patients
- How to conduct a family meeting
- Bioethics at the End-of-Life
- Spirituality at the End-of-Life
- End-of-Life Care
- ELNEC Models
- Palliative Care
- Hospice
- End-of-Life in ICU and hospital
- Care in SNFs, ALFs, Board and Care
- Progonsitcation
- Recent medical studies and clinical data
- Quality Improvement at the End-of-Life
For The General Public:
- Understanding your end-of-life care options
- Skills for “talking over” end-of-life care wishes
- Understanding POLST and Advance Directives
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Dr. Michael Nisco, Medical Director of the Saint Agnes Medical Center Hospice & Palliative Care Services Dr. Nisco completed subspecialty training in palliative medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Ethics Committee, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine International Committee, Director of the UCSF Fresno Palliative Care Fellowship Program, and Chair, Kaweah Delta Health System Bioethics. |
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Karrie Decker, MHS Director of the Home Services Division at Kaweah Delta Health Care District. Karrie Decker, MHS is the Director of the Home Services Division including Hospice, Home Health and Private Home Care. In addition, she is the administrator of the Skilled Nursing Facility and also has responsibility for the hospital inpatient and Palliative Care program for Kaweah Delta Health Care District. She has been actively involved with POLST implementation in the central California region and was involved with POLST in Oregon and Washington during the early origins of the first tools. |
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Carmen Scruggs, RN,MSN,CNL Med-Surg Clinical Instructor, Veteran’s Administration Central California Health Care System Carmen Scruggs is the POLST Taskforce representative at the VACCHCS, and a member of the Hospital’s Palliative Care and Ethics Committees. She educates physicians, nurse practitioners, and nursing staff on the new California POLST initiative. Carmen also spent 18 years in the home health industry with families facing EOL care. |
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Kathy Haahr, RN, CEN Clinical & Professional Development, Saint Agnes Medical Center As an experienced Emergency nurse, Kathy’s passion is to ensure that the patient’s end-of-life wishes are honored. In 2009, using the POLST form as a model, Kathy led a team of nurses and physicians in revising policies, order sets, and advance directive worksheets that will allow patients to receive medical treatment and resuscitation efforts according to their preferences during their hospital visit. |
