Sweet Stories from Our Hive | Yan Zhan

As part of the “It Takes a Hive to Thrive” campaign, HPNF will feature stories that highlight how donor support empowers professionals to make a lasting impact on patients, families, and communities.

Yan Zhan, MSN, BSN, RN 

When Yan Zhan received a scholarship from the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) to attend the 2024 Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care in Phoenix, Arizona, she was excited to network and learn from others about her specialty of care. It was her first time attending this well-known, national conference. What she didn’t expect was to come back energized with a sense of confidence, acceptance, and recognition of her work.

Originally from Zhejiang, China, Zhan is currently a student at the Yale School of Nursing working on her doctoral degree. She completed her undergraduate education with a bachelor of science in nursing degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and went on to earn a master of business administration degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is passionate about her research in palliative care service delivery for patients with advanced heart failure.

Receiving the HPNF scholarship provided Zhan with a unique opportunity to share and gain knowledge from palliative care professionals from across the country who are exploring solutions to the same challenges. Zhan was chosen to give a podium presentation at the Annual Assembly, which focused on her research, “Variation in Uptake of Specialist Palliative Care among People with Advanced Heart Failure across VA Medical Centers.”

“Thank you to the HPNF donors for this amazing experience,” Zhan remarked. “The strong reception of my work is a huge encouragement and has helped me feel so confident and accepted by this community.”

HPNF is honored to support nurses like Zhan on their professional journeys to improve patient care.

Learn more about our “It Takes a Hive to Thrive” campaign and contribute here.