Knowledge Reduces Fear: A Resource for End of Life Education

Knowledge reduces fear. In our society there is considerable lack of knowledge about the normal, natural dying process. Barbara Karnes, RN's weekly blog articles on end of life issues answers questions and addresses comments submitted to her web site. This resource presents a non medical perspective to end of life issues. Barbara Karnes, RN is an award winning hospice nurse, award winning educator, and nationally prominent speaker on the dynamics of dying. In 1986 she published, "Gone From My Sight: The Dying Experience," which has been for the caregiver, professional and lay, the primary source material on the signs of approaching death from disease. Her work has been instrumental in creating one of the most important tools in the Hospice movement today: the patient/family educational booklet. Her other booklets are, "A Time to Live: Living with a Life-Threatening Illness," "The Eleventh Hour; A Caring Guideline for the Hours to Minutes Before Death," and "My Friend, I Care: The Grief Experience." Her book, The Final Act of Living: Reflections of a Longtime Hospice Nurse, is a comprehensive end of life resource that offers knowledge to ease fear and misinformation about dying and death. Barbara's 30-year career as an end of life educator is predicated on her experience at the bedside of hundreds of people in the months, weeks, and minutes before death as well as being involved in the care of thousands of terminally ill people. Today she fulfills her passion for end of life education through writing and speaking to the community. Previously she worked as executive director of hospice and home health agencies as well as having worked through the hospice ranks as patient care manager, clinical director, staff nurse, and volunteer.