Inside the Role of an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner

Lori Burckhardt

An essential part of hospice care is conversation. Lori Burckhardt is an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) at Suncoast Hospice Care Center North Pinellas. Many of the care center's patients are living with end–stage diseases and are there for pain and symptoms management. Lori is skilled at providing care and comfort, as well as having those important conversations about the end of life.

She concentrates on breaking down the wall, preparing her patients and their families to face and understand dying. “Our ARNPs or physicians are often times the ice breakers. When you talk to each patient, you look into his or her eyes and you find out what to say. You don’t know where it’s going to go. I always try to put myself in the patient’s shoes and hope that the patient and family are much more centered and accepting,” said Lori, a longtime nurse who spent many years in critical care.

Lori has always enjoyed providing this kind of support to those in her care. “I found I have an ability to care for patients in a way that allows me to make a difference in their lives. I want to make a difference,” Lori said.

Health Assessments and Education

Lori consults with R.N. Diane Esposito at the care center

One day during her rounds at Suncoast Hospice Care Center North Pinellas, Lori stops in the hallway to talk with a son about his mother’s care. She then checks in at the care station to consult with staff and moves on
to follow up with two patients, the first about care decisions and the other about a medication she has prescribed. With her patients, she always gauges their entire well–being, comfort level and needs.

“We do a total health assessment and take in every aspect of a patient. We look at the energy of that patient and the dynamics of that patient’s family situation. Then we look at that patient’s goals and create a plan of care in collaboration with everyone on the care team, including the patient’s own personal doctors and other healthcare staff. You constantly readjust that care plan. Everyone’s input is extremely valuable,” she said.

Lori finds education to be one of the most important and meaningful parts of her job. “Patient and family education is a huge part of what we do. You do a lot of listening. You take them from the clinical side and help them face the emotional aspects of their disease so they may have a peaceful death,” she said.

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Inside the Role of a Care Center Senior Staff Nurse

Audlyn Lord, R.N.

Audlyn Lord recently celebrated her 10th anniversary working for Suncoast Hospice. She has served as a senior staff nurse (SSN) at our Suncoast Hospice Care Center South Pinellas since it opened a year ago. She spends long, busy days on the floor seeing her patients and families and supervising the hospice aides. She’s the only SSN with direct patient care responsibilities.

“When I come in I receive a report from a registered nurse (RN) who’s here. Our care team has meetings to discuss each patient. I assess and reassess my patients and give them their medications. In between I counsel, supervise, provide support and do admissions,” Audlyn said.

Audlyn chats with Suncoast Hospice volunteer Suzanne Verhulst

Audlyn has also served as a SSN with a facility-based care team, was a RN with Suncoast Hospice Care Center Mid-Pinellas and worked on a home-based care team. She enjoys the smaller size of the South Pinellas Care Center and the close connection she makes with the people in her care.

“This care center is a very intimate setting with 12 patients. Sometimes in the hallway you see family members in tears and wanting to talk, so you stop and give them hugs and, if necessary, get the social workers or chaplains for them. Sometimes you go into patients’ rooms and there are six people inside, so you stay and chat. This is the most private time in their lives and you get to share that with them. That’s quite an honor,” she said.

Loving Her Life’s Work

Audlyn was born in the West Indies and lived in Canada for 30 years, where she helped start a palliative care team at a nursing home. She moved to Florida in 2000 and worked for one facility before coming on board with Suncoast Hospice. “This is what I was meant to do – take care of patients and their families through the dying process. I love what I do,” Audlyn said.

In her position she sees tremendous hope from hospice. “Isn’t the h in hospice for hope? Hope that you’ve made peace with your loved ones, hope that you’ve completed your bucket list, hope that you’ve accomplished whatever your dreams are,” she said.

Audlyn believes in spreading the word about hospice care; she has done an in-service on living wills at her church. “Especially in African–American communities, they hear the word hospice and they panic. Hospice is not only about death and dying. We must continue to educate people about everything that we have to offer,” she said.

Are you interested in a job at Suncoast Hospice? Check out our latest job listings.