by Celina Dietzel

Health care ethicist and Knox alumna Anita Tarzian '84 will give the presentation "Dying in America: Policies that deter adequate end of life care" on April 24 in the Alumni Hall Trustees Room at 7 p.m. The presentation is part of the Parke Ethicist in Residence Program and will take a look at policies that hinder adequate end of life care. The event is free and open to the public.

Tarzian is associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing & Graduate School and is the program coordinator for the Maryland Health Care Ethics Committee Network, part of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She is a former surgical oncology nurse, hospice nurse, and returned Peace Corps volunteer. She has a Ph.D. in nursing and ethics.

Dr. Tarzian's professional focus has been in clinical and research ethics, including clinical ethics consultation in acute and long-term care settings, ethics education, palliative care, hospice and end-of-life care; the influence of culture on health care decision-making; and disability rights.

During her residency from April 24-27, Tarzian will visit classes and meet with students and faculty. She will also give a presentation on her experience as a volunteer in the Peace Corps.

This is the inaugural event sponsored by the Parke Ethicist in Residence Program. The program is made possible by Bob '66 and Carol '67 Parke to provide ethics support to students, faculty, and staff in the areas of health sciences, business, and environmental studies, with the goal of encouraging ethical discourse in academic, professional, and public life.