Ashley Perkins, vice president of hospice services at a not-for-profit organization, is set to graduate from the Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Executive program at Augusta University’s College of Nursing. The program targets nursing leaders such as chief nursing officers and vice presidents who are seeking executive-level roles.
Perkins explained her motivation for pursuing an advanced degree: “I just became consumed with the idea of furthering my education. I felt like I reached a point in my career where I could do more, take my leadership further and effect more change.”
She emphasized the importance of nurses in decision-making positions within health care organizations. “Nurses belong at the table. When you look at quality, outcomes, satisfaction – all of those require nurses,” Perkins said.
Perkins began her career as a certified nursing assistant at 16 and later earned a Master of Nursing in Leadership and Management from Western Governors University. She credits her early mentors for inspiring her leadership goals. “I love helping others and answering questions,” she said. “Making other people think outside the box, it leads to innovation and improvements to what we are doing. There’s always something new and a question you’ve never been asked, but your experience helps you to figure it out.”
Having worked as a hospice nurse for 15 years, Perkins was influenced by personal experiences with hospice care during her grandmother’s illness. She described her approach: “As a hospice nurse, there’s no hurry. I’m with you right now; you’re the world right now,” Perkins said. “We get to really connect with these people and will forever be a part in their story. We can make this sad time in their lives better, and that’s amazing to me.”
Perkins wants to address misconceptions about hospice care: “There are many misconceptions about it, and I’d love for others to understand it more,” she shared. “Every person, regardless of background, status or diagnosis, deserves comfort and dignity at the end of their life. We help you live well through the end of your life, whatever that means to you.”
Her team also provides support beyond patient care by assisting families throughout the process and offering bereavement resources after a patient has passed.
For her capstone project as part of her doctoral studies at Augusta University College of Nursing, Perkins focused on proactive care for patients with chronic illnesses such as heart failure. She developed two kits—a medication kit for symptom management and a tool kit for tracking vital signs—to assist patients wherever they reside.
“We developed a medication kit and a tool kit. The tool kit helps them to keep track of their vitals while the medication kit provides symptom management,” Perkins said.
The tool kit includes devices like blood pressure cuffs and oxygen stat machines; the medication kit contains tailored medicines such as diuretics for managing weight gain or breathing issues.
“We have decreased hospitalizations and improved symptom management in the home,” Perkins said. “It’s been so beneficial for our patients with end-stage heart failure, and we are excited to expand it out to the rest of our patients.”
Perkins believes that earning her doctorate from Augusta University has strengthened both her expertise and commitment to improving hospice care practices.
