On October 19, the Kanarek Center for Palliative Care Nursing Education — part of the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies — will be presented with the 2021 Josephine A. Dolan Award for Outstanding Contributions to Nursing Education, at the Connecticut Nurses Award Celebration. 

"I am honored to receive this award on behalf of my colleagues who have worked diligently to prepare our current and future workforce to transform care for patients living with serious illness and their loved ones,” said Professor Eileen O’Shea, DNP, APRN, PCNS-BC, CHPPN, director of the Kanarek Center. “As leaders in this field, our educational outreach has raised public awareness concerning the need for, and benefits of, high-quality palliative care. I want to thank our advisors and clinical partners for their collaborations and contributions in developing this innovative Center. Most importantly, we are grateful to the Kanarek Family for their generosity and endless support to sustain this vital education."  

The Josephine A. Dolan award is one of several prestigious Diamond Jubilee Awards and is named for distinguished leaders in Connecticut nursing history. The highest honor the Connecticut nursing profession can bestow, the award recognizes individuals and organizations that make significant contributions to nursing, including: areas of practice, service, political action, education, and administration.

“The Center was recognized for its palliative care outreach campaign to educate nurses and providers within Connecticut and surrounding areas by providing multiple conference forums and continuing education programs, to disseminate evidence-based practices in palliative care," said Associate Professor Diana Mager, DNP, RN-BC.

Enhancing a patient’s quality of life, providing patients and families with supportive and spiritual care, and incorporating an interdisciplinary healthcare approach towards pain and symptom management, are all essential criteria to be met in the field of palliative and end-of-life care. Since its inception, the Kanarek Center has educated hundreds of nursing students and practicing nurses on the importance of providing compassionate, holistic, and high-quality care for patients with life-threatening conditions through comprehensive curriculum and clinical experiences.

To learn more about the Kanarek Center for Palliative Care, visit www.fairfield.edu/kanarek.