Influencing Death

Reframing Dying for Better Living

Penny Hawkins Smith

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English

Girl Friday Productions
14 January 2025

Memoirs; Terminal care nursing; Coping with death & bereavement

A hospice nurse's unflinching look at life, death, and redemption.

Death is undeniable and unavoidable. We must accept it; there is no other choice. But coming to terms with our mortality can profoundly influence how we live-and how we die. Having been a hospice nurse for decades, Penny Hawkins Smith is an expert on death and dying. As a recovering alcoholic and former drug addict, she knows what it means to change course and become a meaningful contributor to society. Through her work with death, Penny found her purpose in life.

In Influencing Death, Penny brings transparency and levity to the grim topic of death while revealing truths about the reckless past that influenced her decision to become a hospice nurse. Using down-to-earth, compassionate storytelling, she transports readers into the room with dying people and their families, laying bare the raw and real human emotions and behaviors people have when life and death are hanging in the balance.

Weaving together dual narratives of death and life, Penny challenges us to see how embracing our own mortality-and the mortality of the people we love-can help us live more fully and approach the end of life with greater acceptance, grace, and peace.

By: Penny Hawkins Smith
Imprint: Girl Friday Productions
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 13mm
Weight: 295g
ISBN: 9781959411963
ISBN 10: 1959411969
Pages: 228
Publication Date: 14 January 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Penny Hawkins Smith is a nationally certified hospice nurse with twenty years of experience. She has cared for thousands of dying people and is a passionate advocate for high-quality end-of-life care. Over two million people follow her on social media, where she uses storytelling, dark humor, and dance trends to normalize death and the dying process. She also shares her own inspirational stories of overcoming a tumultuous past.Penny lives in Washington State with her husband, along with her cattle dog, Kevin, and Pam the cat. She works virtually as a hospice quality nurse from her off-the-grid cabin on a mountain, with a retirement plan in the works.

Reviews for Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living

""This memoir is an extraordinary blend of humor, heartfelt storytelling, and valuable insights. Penny's wit and engaging style make even the most challenging moments feel accessible, while the touching anecdotes offer a deep understanding of end-of-life care. It's not only an enjoyable read but also an educational one that guides the reader to look at their own mortality without dreading it."" -Julie McFadden, RN, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to Fear ""Influencing Death is a brutally honest book about living and dying. Hospice Nurse Penny exposes what happens at the end of life with her straight-shooting and entertaining style. Penny tells it all, including the pain points of her own life story. With a huge dose of courage, Penny reminds us that patients . . . and hospice nurses are people first and foremost."" -Sammy Winemaker, palliative care physician, author of Hope for the Best, Plan for the Rest ""Influencing Death turns a universally challenging topic-death-into an easy read. Demystifying death by sharing her life, Penny's humor, joy, and authenticity will evoke laughter, tears, and essential conversations among loved ones everywhere."" -Jennifer A. O'Brien, MSOD, award-winning author of The Hospice Doctor's Widow and Care Boss ""A moving account of how a hospice nurse arrived at TikTok fame, . . . Influencing Death is about personal transformation and working to demystify the inevitability of death.""-Foreword Clarion Reviews