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Influencing Death

Reframing Dying for Better Living

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Influencing Death

Written by: Penny Hawkins Smith RN
Narrated by: Penny Hawkins Smith RN
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About this listen

A hospice nurse’s unflinching look at life, death, and redemption.

Death is undeniable and unavoidable. We must accept it; there is no other choice. But coming to terms with our mortality can profoundly influence how we live—and how we die. Having been a hospice nurse for decades, Penny Hawkins Smith is an expert on death and dying. As a recovering alcoholic and former drug addict, she knows what it means to change course and become a meaningful contributor to society. Through her work with death, Penny found her purpose in life.

In Influencing Death, Penny brings transparency and levity to the grim topic of death while revealing truths about the reckless past that influenced her decision to become a hospice nurse. Using down-to-earth, compassionate storytelling, she transports listeners into the room with dying people and their families, laying bare the raw and real human emotions and behaviors people have when life and death are hanging in the balance.

Weaving together dual narratives of death and life, Penny challenges us to see how embracing our own mortality—and the mortality of the people we love—can help us live more fully and approach the end of life with greater acceptance, grace, and peace.

©2025 Penny Hawkins Smith (P)2025 Dreamscape Media Grief & Loss Medicine & Health Care Industry Professionals & Academics

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Profile Image for Darla Henderson

Uneventful and boring.

Too much of her own back story, I was wanting more scenarios of end of life stories.

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Profile Image for Deanna Y

Incredible

Love Penny,online and now in a book! Wow. I couldn’t stop listening. This title played in my ears any chance I could until I finished it. Nurse Penny is hilarious, kind hearted and honest. I love all of that. Very interesting life story, educational and inspiring. I am literally on a mission to become a hospice nurse because of how much I admire every one of them I’ve encountered in life, online and now in their books. Plus it’s right up my alley. Thank you Penny for being raw and real, funny and talented! GREAT Writing. You’re an inspiration to me.

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