Kathy Perko

Kathy Perko, RN, MS, PPCNP-BC, CPON, CHPPN, FPCN received her BSN at the University of Portland and her MS/PNP at UC-San Francisco. She has been a nurse for 38 years, 28 years as a PNP. Her initial work was in caring for children with cancer and their families. In 2002, she founded the Bridges Pediatric Palliative Care Program at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. She directed the program until her retirement in 2020. She is certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and in Pediatric Oncology, Perinatal Loss and Pediatric Hospice/Palliative Care and is recognized as a Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing. She has certificates in Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care. She is a national ELNEC and EPEC (Education in Palliative and End of Life Care-Pediatrics) educator and continues to provide palliative care education to interdisciplinary colleagues locally and nationally. In her free time, she enjoys traveling anywhere and baking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing – University of Portland, 1984
• Master of Science, Clinical Nurse Specialist/Nurse Practitioner Program – University of California San Francisco, 1994

Clinical Background

• 2020 Pediatric Palliative Care Education Director
  OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Portland, OR
• 2003-2019 Bridges Pediatric Palliative Care Program Director
  OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Portland, OR
• 2000-2015 Pediatric Oncology Nurse Practitioner
  OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Portland, OR
• 1998-2020 Pediatric Oncology Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Nurse Specialist
  Legacy Emanuel Children’s Hospital, Portland, OR
• 1994-1998 Pediatric Oncology Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Nurse Specialist
  Sutter Memorial Hospital, Sacramento, CA
• 1984-1992 Pediatric Staff Nurse/Charge Nurse
  Children’s Hospital, Seattle WA
• 1988-1992 Pediatric Clinical Instructor
  Seattle Community College; Bellevue Community College, WA

Certifications

• 2015 to present Certified Perinatal Loss Clinician
• 2010 to present Certified Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN)
• 1995 to present Certified Pediatric Oncology Nurse (CPON)
• 1994 to present Primary Pediatric Certified Nurse Practitioner, ANCC (PPCNP-BC)

Qualifications and Specific Palliative Care Training

• Pediatric Palliative Care Certificate – University of Washington Trainer
• Vital Talk Trainer
• Pediatric Bioethics – The Children’s Mercy Bioethics Center Trained
• End of Life Nursing Education Consortium – Advanced Practice Provider (ELNEC-APP) Trainer
• End of Life Nursing Education Consortium – Pediatric Palliative Care (ELNEC-PPC) Trainer
• Education in Palliative and End of Life Care – Pediatrics (EPEC-Pediatrics) Trainer
• Palliative Care Education and Practice – (PCEP) Trained
• Initiative for Pediatric Palliative and End of Life Care (IPPEC) Trainer