About
Hi, my name is Katie Dziedzic, and I’ve spent over 20 years in the medical field practicing in traditional roles. I’ve been an EMT, an emergency department nurse, as well as a nurse practitioner in the cardiac ICU and advanced heart failure. Most recently, I worked in the hospital as a nurse practitioner providing palliative and hospice care. Throughout my experiences I witnessed a significant need for improved guidance and support at the end of life and for those living with a terminal illness.
Many people and their families go through a death experience unprepared. They are frightened, overwhelmed, and fraught with tension and anxiety. It doesn’t have to be this way. I believe death, just like birth, is a sacred and normal transition. I want to help people find and meet their spiritual, emotional, mental and physical needs upon preparing for their own death, or for the death of a friend or family member.
That’s why I’ve become an end-of-life (EOL) coach/doula. I help patients and their families explore and decide upon the preparatory goals that best meet their needs. From there, I provide a full suite of services designed to reduce fear and anxiety, and increase acceptance and a sense of closure. As an EOL doula, I would like to help remove fear from the dying process. Death doesn’t have to be this hard - let me show you another path. ​
Credentials
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse​
Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN)
F.A.Q.
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What does an end-of-life doula/coach do?End-of-life (EOL) doulas are caregivers who offer healing versus curative care to people and families during terminal illness and dying. They focus on supporting clients and families to identify a clear life-fulfilling vision for the death process. Using this vision, the doula takes steps for the present and future to ultimately achieve a beautiful, healing death experience. The doula provides hands-on care to patients and families nearing and during the dying process, to make it easier and more in line with the expectations of the people involved.
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Why use a coach or Doula?Hospice is a philosophy and insurance/Medicare benefit. It provides the medical care for a dying person whether that be at home, in the hospital or nursing facility. Frequently, however, there is a greater emotional, spiritual and mental need for support that is required during the end-of-life transition. Hospice cannot provide this, so an EOL coach or doula steps in to provide this support. Death, just like birth, is a sacred transition on our soul’s journey. Yet, so often in our culture we do not prepare for death as we do for birth. As an EOL doula, I help you discover your own preparatory needs and fulfill them.
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Can I use a coach or doula alongside Hospice?Yes, these two services compliment each other.
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Does insurance cover this service?At this time, I am not aware of any insurance that covers EOL doula/coaching services.
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What if I don’t know when I will die?It is never too soon to plan for your death. Life review can be a continuous process.
