Diana M. Zink Hazlett, RN
Diana Zink Hazlett is a registered nurse with nearly 13 years of experience, specializing in hospice and wound care while providing compassionate support to patients and their families. She earned her nursing degree from Aultman College of Nursing in Canton, Ohio, graduating in 2013 at the age of 48. Returning to school later in life fulfilled a lifelong dream she had carried since childhood, when she first imagined becoming a nurse while talking with a childhood friend about their future. Her journey reflects her belief that some callings come later in life, arriving at the right moment and place.
Today, Diana serves patients and families through her work with The Care Team, a private hospice organization serving the Akron and Canton, Ohio area. In hospice care, she provides skilled nursing support, including wound care and end-of-life care, while also guiding families through one of life’s most difficult transitions. Her role often extends beyond traditional nursing duties, as she sometimes steps into supportive roles similar to those of chaplains or social workers when families need comfort, prayer, or reassurance during deeply emotional moments.
Diana credits her success and resilience in the profession to her faith, the support of her family, confidence in herself, and the encouragement of her coworkers. She believes strongly in the idea that the right people often appear at the right time, both in life and in patient care. As she continues her work in hospice nursing, Diana plans to pursue certification in hospice care, further strengthening her ability to provide compassionate, holistic support to the patients and families she serves.
• ADN - Altman College of Nursing
• Nominated twice for the Daisy Award
• Volunteers to make meals for the community
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Hospice
- Wound care
- Supporting families
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
I was sitting on my porch when I was probably about 7 or 8, playing with my neighbor friend, and we were talking about what we want to be when we grow up, and I said, I want to be a nurse. I just remember that, and it was always with me. Even though there's a reason that our paths turn certain ways, and our journeys sometimes mean the things that we're called to do are later in life, that's how I feel mine was - a calling later in life. I wouldn't have ever found my calling otherwise. In hospice, we wear a lot of hats. Sometimes I'm a chaplain, sometimes I'm a social worker, and we're praying with the families and with the patients. I see that evidence of right people, right place, right time, all the time in my work.