A calling, not just a career: Lyndsey’s journey into hospice nursing
At Mountain Valley, our team members often describe their work as more than a job – it’s a calling.
For Nurse Practitioner Lyndsey, that calling revealed itself through years of caring for patients with serious illness, moments of deep personal connection, and a few unmistakable signs that she was exactly where she was meant to be.
We asked Lyndsey to answer some questions about her experience and passion in this blog article. Read on to learn about the heart behind her commitment to hospice nursing!
Lyndsey, her husband, and their two boys aged 22 months and four years
Q: What drew you to hospice nursing in the first place? When did you realize this was a calling, not just a career path?
A: Before becoming a nurse practitioner, I spent five years as an inpatient oncology nurse. Interestingly, oncology wasn’t where I planned to start my career — I always thought I’d work with elderly patients (because who doesn’t love the elderly?).
But my oncology patients taught me so much about life, love, family, friendship, perseverance, and gratitude… and even about myself. Working in an inpatient oncology unit, I saw firsthand the challenges of living with serious illness, and the unfortunate moments when cancer ultimately took a life. I had the privilege of caring for comfort care patients at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where hospice and palliative care access was limited.
Even though I wasn’t technically a “hospice nurse,” I treated those patients in a hospital setting. I always prioritized my hospice patients and treated them with the same care, dignity and respect as anyone else. If they weren’t comfortable, I wasn’t comfortable. I’ve always felt it’s a profound honor to care for patients in their final days. I mean — you want to hang out with me on your last day? That’s incredible! Why wouldn’t everyone want to experience the privilege of that kind of connection?
Two years into my nursing career, I lost my grandmother to cancer. She was in the ICU, seemingly stable, when she began saying her goodbyes and then peacefully passed away. It was the most beautiful, peaceful passing I’d ever seen.
Fast forward three years: I accepted my first nurse practitioner position with Mountain Valley. On my first day, I received my new work phone. My grandmother’s old phone number ended in 0328. My new work number? It ended in 0328.
That was my sign. Hospice wasn’t just a career path – it was my calling. And I think my grandmother knew it, too.
Q: Can you share a story of a patient or family whose words reminded you why you do this work?
A: I once cared for a patient, we’ll call her Kim, who developed complications after a surgery. Her heart rate wouldn’t stabilize, so I spent much of the night at her bedside, talking, monitoring, and reassuring her and her husband, who we’ll call Chris. They were kind, gracious people, and I did what I could to lighten the mood with a few jokes.
I said goodbye the next morning, assuming I’d never see them again.
A year later, I received report on a patient transferring to our floor for comfort care with stage IV cancer. When the patient arrived, frail and weak, I approached quietly to introduce myself. Then I heard a soft voice say,
“Lyndsey, it’s Chris. I’m so glad it’s you.”
I was stunned. Chris remembered me. I immediately called Kim, who recognized my voice before I even introduced myself. She shared that she had prayed Chris would end up with me and that God had answered her prayer.
That moment has stayed with me. You never know the impact a little kindness can have. While I had forgotten about Kim and Chris, they never forgot about me. I carry them with me as a reminder of why I do what I do.
Q: How do you build trust and comfort with people who may be meeting you in the hardest moments of their lives?
A: I meet people where they are. I don’t focus on the diagnosis – I focus on the person.
When I first meet a patient, I ask about their interests, their best friend, their hometown, their wedding party – all the little details that make them them. I joke that I’m nosy, but really, I just want to know who they are. That connection makes the harder conversations a little easier later on.
During my time in inpatient palliative care, I often led goals-of-care meetings for families whose loved ones were dying in the ICU. Many times, I had never even met the patient. I’d ask the family to tell me stories – favorite memories, quirks, inside jokes – to understand what that person valued most in life.
Patch Adams said it best: “You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you’ll win, no matter what the outcome.”
Q: How do you care for yourself emotionally while continuing to give so much to others?
A: I’m lucky to have a strong foundation at home. My husband is an oncologist, so he understands the emotional weight of this work. We talk. We don’t bottle it up.
Hospice care has taught me how precious life really is. I make time to travel, to be with family and friends, and to savor the little moments. I have two young boys, ages 22 months and 4 years, who keep me grounded and very busy!
I do my best to “water myself,” as I like to say – to nurture my own wellbeing. And when I need to cry, I let myself cry. Sometimes you just have to get it out.
Q: How do you measure “success” when the goal isn’t curing, but comforting?
A: There’s a sign in my office that reads:
“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived — this is to have succeeded.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
The definition of success is different for every person you meet. I measure success like Ralph. If I can just make someone’s day a little bit better by minimizing their suffering, then I have succeeded.
Q: If someone told you, “I could never do what you do,” how would you respond?
A: I hear that often. My response is simple:
I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. This doesn’t feel like a job. I truly love what I do. This is where I was meant to be.
We are so grateful for dedicated professionals like Lyndsey, who bring heart, humor, and humanity to every patient and family they serve. Her story is a beautiful reminder that hospice isn’t about endings – it’s about honoring life, every step of the way.
