UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Janice Penrod, professor of nursing, was one of seven individuals honored with a 2015 ELNEC Award from the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC), a national education initiative to improve palliative care.
Each year, ELNEC honors the outstanding work of individuals who have significantly contributed to the advancement of palliative care education, research, practice and advocacy. Penrod was chosen for her program of research on end-of-life care, particularly in the Pennsylvania prison population.
“Dr. Penrod’s exceptional work in developing educational programs for staff who work in prisons uniquely qualifies her for this award,” said Pamela Malloy, director and co-investigator of ELNEC. “Her work is stellar and she has been a mentor to many.”
Penrod’s program of research focuses on end-of-life care. In her current research, “Enhancing Care of the Aged and Dying in Prisons,” Penrod is developing a training system that includes interdisciplinary learning modules to help change the culture of care for dying and aged inmates.
“Janice is a great choice for this award, given her many contributions to improving end-of-life care in the prison system,” said Paula Milone-Nuzzo, dean of the Penn State College of Nursing. “She continues to innovate in this area and I am confident she will be a leader in improving end-of-life care for many years to come.”
Penrod also has taught an undergraduate nursing course in dying and death, as well as several graduate nursing courses. Beyond Penn State, she has promoted end-of-life and palliative care standards through her work with the Geriatric Interest Network of the Blair County (Pennsylvania) Region and as a visiting professor in China and Taiwan.
ELNEC is a partnership between the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California.