Amanda Watson
Bio
Amanda Watson is a first year PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania. She is interested in studying the utilization of palliative care and engagement in end of life conversations by US adults diagnosed with heart failure. Her research aims to understand the ways in which heart failure patients are currently utilizing palliative care and how it can be optimized for maximum benefit to the patient. She plans to focus on patient perspectives including their understanding of their diagnosis, their perceptions of death and dying, and additionally bridging gaps between the patient and family members’ understanding of the patient’s end of life preferences. She hopes to emphasize the unique experiences of heart failure patients in the conversation about palliative care, which is currently predominated by studies focusing on cancer patients. Amanda still practices clinically as an RN at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Cardiac Surgery Progressive Care Unit and hopes that her work will someday have an impact on the patients she cares for at the bedside.
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