Hospice Nurse Penny on "Influencing Death," End-of-Life Myths, and The Difference Between Hospice and Palliative Care
Release Date: 11/27/2025
Ink or Expertise: Discussing the Pardox of Professionalism With The Tattooed Nurse Jesse Barmby
The Gritty Nurse
In a profession often defined by rigid standards of appearance, Jesse Barmby is rewriting the rules. A Registered Nurse with 15 years of experience, Jesse—widely known as the "Tattooed Nurse"—joins the conversation on the Gritty Nurse Podcast with Host Amie Archibald-Varley, to pull back the curtain on what it really means to be a professional in modern healthcare. Beyond the Ink: Redefining Professionalism Is a nurse defined by the starch in their scrubs or the skill in their hands? Jesse dives deep into the misconceptions surrounding body art in the hospital, challenging the outdated...
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Cluck around and find out: Why your birth plan needs more Birth Vibes and less fear with Jen Hamilton RN
The Gritty Nurse
What happens when an ER nurse pivots to Labor & Delivery and accidentally becomes the internet’s most trusted voice in birth advocacy? In this episode, we’re joined by the incredible Jen Hamilton to dive deep into her journey from the bedside to the bestseller list (I am sure it will be)! We’re breaking down: The "Birth Vibes" Movement: Jen shares the heart behind her new book, Birth Vibes, a practical and empowering guide to navigating pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period without the fear-mongering. Patient Advocacy: Why the role of the nurse is changing in the age of...
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Is Education a Right? A Father's and Public Servant's Fight to Make Education and Healthcare a Constitutional Right For Children With Autism & Learning Disabilities
The Gritty Nurse
Does every child in Canada truly have a right to an education? In this powerful episode on The Gritty Nurse with Host Amie Archibald-Varley, she sits down with Matthew Flagler and Richard Hackett to discuss the systemic failures within Canada’s healthcare and education systems. Spurred by the personal struggle to get adequate support for children with learning disabilities, Richard and Matthew are leading a movement to hold the government accountable. They dive deep into why the current governments education system is failing families, the dangerous creep of privatization in healthcare,...
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Dismissed and Unprotected: Nurse Danielle Gibbs Koenitzer Experinece at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital
The Gritty Nurse
In this episode of The Gritty Nurse Podcast with host Amie Archibald-Varley, she interviews fellow nurse, Danielle Gibbs Koenitzer. Danielle recounts her experience presenting to the Emergency Department at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital—the very institution where she served as a nurse. Despite her clinical background as an emergency room nurse and professional ties to the facility, Danielle’s care was marked by significant gaps, dangerous dismissal of her symptoms and pain. and questions concerning racial bias and health equity. Her experience is not an anomaly, but a reflection...
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Nursing Voice is CRITICAL in AI and HealthTech: Why Tech Giants Can’t Disrupt Healthcare Without Us with Rebecca Love RN, BS, MSN, FIEL
The Gritty Nurse
Can an algorithm truly care for a patient? As we move further into 2026, the healthcare industry is being flooded with AI tools promising to automate everything from charting to triage. But there’s a massive problem: most of these tools are being built by engineers who have never spent a 12-hour shift on a med-surg floor. In this high-stakes conversation, Rebecca Love, RN, joins us to explain why the "Nursing Voice" is the most valuable asset in the 2026 tech landscape. We discuss the recent surge in ambient clinical scribes and the ethical "black boxes" of agentic AI—and why tech giants...
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End of the Status Quo: A Revolutionary Blueprint for Canadian Healthcare with The Honourable Marjorie Michel~Federal Minister of Health
The Gritty Nurse
A Historic Seat at the Table... In this landmark episode of the Gritty Nurse Podcast, we sit down with a true trailblazer: The Honorable Marjorie Michel, Canada’s first Black Minister of Health. The Canadian healthcare system is at a critical crossroads, and Minister Mitchell is leading the charge toward a more modern, equitable, and efficient future. We dive deep into the "gritty" realities of reform, from the essential—yet often undervalued—role of nurses to the technological frontier of AI in clinical settings. Inside the Episode: The Modernization Mandate: How Canada is pivoting to...
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From Surviving Nursing To Thriving In Nursing! Driving Change Through Oppurunity and Impact with Dr. Katie Boston-Leary
The Gritty Nurse
In this episode of the Gritty Nurse podcast with Amie Archibald-Varley, Dr. Katie Boston-Leary shares her journey from an accidental entry into nursing to becoming the Senior VP of Equity and Engagement at the American Nurses Association. She discusses the importance of equity in nursing, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the systemic barriers that exist within the profession. Dr. Boston-Leary also addresses the current crises in healthcare, the significance of the racial reckoning statement, and the upcoming Opportunity and Impact in Nursing Summit from Feb 12-Feb 14 in Washignton, DC. She...
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Sonographers have feelings too! Beyond the Screen & Compassionate Conversations with Expert Ultrasound Jessi Dressler
The Gritty Nurse
What happens when high-stakes clinical expertise meets a heart for patient advocacy? Join us as we sit down with Jessi Dressler, a veteran registered OB-GYN sonographer and the founder of New Life Imaging Ultrasound. After years of navigating the high-pressure environment of emergency rooms and hospitals, Jessie recognized a glaring gap in the healthcare system: the need for emotional support and personalized care during the most vulnerable moments of pregnancy. Today, she’s bridging that gap by bringing high-quality 3D and 4D mobile ultrasound technology directly to expectant mothers across...
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Why Everything You Know About Food Allergies is Changing: Early Introduction, Testing Myths, and Health Equity with Pediatric Allergist & Immunolgist Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman
The Gritty Nurse
Are we diagnosing allergies all wrong? Join pediatric allergist and clinical immunologist Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman as we debunk common myths in allergy management. We dive deep into why patient history matters more than testing, the danger of using Benadryl, and the life-changing impact of early food introduction. Dr. Abdurrahman also discusses the "diversity gap" in Canadian healthcare, explaining why cultural sensitivity and representation are vital for better patient outcomes. Whether you’re a parent, a medical professional, or someone living with allergies, this episode offers a...
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Finlay’s Voice: A Mother’s Fight to Fix Canada’s ER Crisis with Hazel van der Werken
The Gritty Nurse
How long is too long to wait in an emergency room? For 16-year-old Finlay van der Werken, an eight-hour wait for a doctor proved fatal. In this powerful episode of The Gritty Nurse Podcast, host Amie Archibald-Varley sits down with Hazel van der Werken to share the heartbreaking story of her son, Finlay. After being rushed to an Ontario hospital with what began as a migraine, Finlay was triaged as an CTAS 2 (urgent case) but left in a "constant state of terror" for hours as his oxygen levels plummeted. By the time he was finally seen, he was in septic shock. Hazel discusses the systemic...
info_outlineDoes discussing death actually help us live better? In this episode of the The Gritty Nurse Podcast, Host Amie Archibald-Varley sits down with Penny Hawkins Smith—better known to her millions of followers as Hospice Nurse Penny—to find out.
Penny is a certified hospice and palliative care nurse and a "death influencer" who uses social media to combat death anxiety and misinformation. She joins us to share her incredible journey from the ICU to hospice care and to discuss her new memoir, Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living.
Together, we break down the critical (and often misunderstood) differences between hospice and palliative care, debunk common myths about morphine and the dying process, and dive into the "gritty" reality of end-of-life advocacy. Penny also opens up about the mysterious side of dying—including "visioning" and the unexplainable phenomena nurses witness at the bedside.
Whether you are a healthcare professional, a caregiver, or just someone looking to understand mortality better, this conversation is an honest, educational, and surprisingly uplifting look at the end of life.
In This Episode, We Cover:
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Hospice vs. Palliative Care: What is the actual difference, and when should you ask for a consult?
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The "Death Influencer" Phenomenon: How Penny uses TikTok and Instagram to educate millions and fight death phobia.
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Controversial Topics in Death Care: We tackle the hard questions about withholding food/fluids, pain management, and the stigma surrounding hospice.
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Mysterious Experiences: Penny shares stories of "visioning" (seeing deceased loved ones) and terminal lucidity.
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Influencing Death: A look inside Penny’s new memoir and how her personal struggles with addiction shaped her compassionate approach to nursing.
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Advocacy in Action: How nurses can lead the charge in normalizing conversations about death.
Resources Mentioned:
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Book: Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living by Penny Hawkins Smith
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Follow Penny: @HospiceNursePenny on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
- Website: https://www.hospicenursepenny.com/
Listen now to learn why talking about death is the key to a better life.
Where to Listen / Watch to THE GRITTY NURSE
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Stay Connected:
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