Partnership for HopeHealth and URI College of Nursing

Partnership Expands Clinical Training and Career Opportunities in Hospice and Palliative Care

 HopeHealth and the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing have entered into a formal academic-practice partnership aimed at advancing clinical education, training, and professional opportunities in the field of hospice and palliative care.

The collaboration brings together HopeHealth’s clinical expertise with URI’s nursing education programs to create more structured pathways for students and professionals interested in this specialized field.  The goal is to foster professional growth, improve patient care, and strengthen the academic-clinical interface.

“This partnership reflects where the field of hospice and palliative care is heading,” said Diana Franchitto, president & CEO of HopeHealth.  “Caring for people with serious illness calls for a distinct set of skills – helping patients manage symptoms, make informed choices, and focus on what matters most to them.  Through our collaboration with the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing, we’re giving students the opportunity to learn that kind of care firsthand and to see the difference it can make in patients’ lives.”

Under the agreement, HopeHealth will provide clinical rotations and advance practice experience for URI nursing students and facilitate research collaborations for faculty as well as those pursuing Doctor of Nursing Practice and PhD degrees.  The organization will also support guest lectures and develop pathways to employment opportunities for students.

“The partnership with HopeHealth represents a mechanism to strengthen palliative and end-of-life care in the sense that academia and practice are intentionally joining together in a commitment to lifelong learning and the sharing of best practices,” said Danny Willis, professor and dean of the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing.

URI College of Nursing will partner with HopeHealth to enhance the organization’s existing academic degree and certificate pathways through continuing education programs and simulation-based learning experiences.

About HopeHealth Hospice & Palliative Care

HopeHealth is one of New England’s largest and most respected nonprofit hospice and palliative care providers, nationally recognized for exceptional standards in serious illness care. For 50 years, we have supported patients and families throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island with extensive patient-focused services that offer comfort, respect and the highest quality care. In addition to hospice and palliative care services, we provide specialized care for dementia, support programs for caregivers and grief support. As a major teaching affiliate of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, we help shape the future of hospice and palliative care.

About University of Rhode Island College of Nursing

The University of Rhode Island College of Nursing is a dynamic catalyst for improving health and transforming healthcare through innovation and excellence in education, knowledge development, discovery, and professional practice. The college prepares nurses to excel as outstanding and compassionate clinicians, scholars, and leaders who enhance the health and healthcare of individuals, families, communities, and populations both locally and globally.