The USF Health College of Nursing has partnered with Empath Health, one of Florida鈥檚 largest not-for-profit health systems delivering hospice, palliative, home health, and senior care services, to leverage the state鈥檚 Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) funding鈥攕upporting three exceptional Accelerated Second Degree (ABSN) nursing students on their path to becoming compassionate health care leaders.
While hospice care is often misunderstood as simply 鈥渆nd-of-life care,鈥� Empath Health鈥檚 vision is to redefine health care as 鈥淔ull Life Care鈥濃�攁 holistic approach that emphasizes dignity, comfort, and quality of life at every stage. Nurses play a vital role in Empath鈥檚 mission, walking alongside patients and families during some of their most meaningful and vulnerable moments.
Brianna Barton, Jaelynn Burton, and Brianna Temes are the inaugural recipients of the college鈥檚 first LINE funded partnership with Empath Health. Each student received a $10,000 scholarship to cover their final semester鈥攈elping them complete their ABSN degrees and step confidently into the workforce. For each of them, the decision to enter hospice and palliative care is deeply personal, rooted in powerful firsthand experiences that showed them just how critical鈥攁nd transformative鈥攖his field can be.
This investment has a ripple effect far beyond the classroom. These future bull nurses will ensure patients and families receive the compassionate support they deserve.
鈥淭he collaboration fosters clinical excellence and supports the development of the next generation of nurses. As demand for post-acute care grows, the scholarship introduces students to hospice as a meaningful career path," shared Empath鈥檚 Chief Clinical Officer Kerry Hoerner. "They鈥檒l learn to provide compassionate, individualized end-of-life care as part of an interdisciplinary team focused on comfort and quality of life."
The LINE Fund is a Florida state grant program created to address the nursing shortage through innovative public-private partnerships. It provides dollar-for-dollar matching support to expand faculty hiring, upgrade equipment, and offer scholarships鈥攍ike this one鈥攚ith lasting impact. Learn more about how Empath Health is shaping the future of nursing and transforming Full Life Care across Florida.