Literature Review

Tired of the waiting lists for CA public universities, nursing students increasingly turn to expensive private programsPress-Democrat (Santa Rosa, CA)December 18, 2023... Private nursing schools are teaching more students each year, filling in the gaps as California hospitals face increasing staffing shortages and public, four-year universities struggle to grow. According to the California Board of Registered Nursing, in 2021 nearly 64,300 students applied for just 16,600 spots in associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree nursing programs. About 55% of those spots were at private institutions. 

San Diego County’s first class of physician assistants graduates, seen as key to easing staffing shortagesSan Diego Union-TribuneDecember 18, 2023... Point Loma Nazarene University minted its first 28 physician assistants Friday, injecting a fresh set of trained troops into an ongoing battle to keep up with the increased demands for health care caused by an aging population and an exodus of burnt-out medical providers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first graduating class of the university’s new physician assistant program and the first crop of locally trained PAs for any institution in San Diego County. 

Knitting and crocheting group gets social, donates to projects in St. Clair ShoresSt. Claire Shores (MI) SentinelDecember 19, 2023St. Claire Shores, MI—The Senior Activity Center’s knitting and crocheting group makes projects for those in need, and also provides much needed social time for its members. Judy Wendler, a member of the group, said the group makes lap robes for two hospice groups: Grace Hospice and Compassus Hospice. ... Wendler said it takes a couple weeks to make a lap robe. ... “The feeling that somebody made it for them is the highlight,” Wendler said.

A plea before dying—on behalf of those who might need itBy Burt RiskedahlTwin Cities Pioneer PressDecember 19, 2023I am so grateful for many of the important legislative bills approved in the 2023 session of the Minnesota Legislature, particularly those that protect reproductive health rights, ensure LGBTQ access to needed care and treatment, and provide significant funding for increased access to education. ... Regretfully, the Legislature failed to enact another important measure, the Minnesota End-of-Life Options Act, that would have also provided important rights to people. 

Dying without needless pain is a human right—just not in VirginiaBy Ryan GarnowskiRichmond Times-DispatchDecember 19, 2023As I sat beside my mother in hospice for 11 somber days, I couldn’t help but wonder if this supposed pinnacle of “comfort care” was truly the humane end many insisted it to be. ...There’s plenty of speculation one could make as to why MAID isn’t more widespread. ... Regardless of the reason, the fact remains: States without MAID policies are condemning the terminally ill to unnecessary anguish. ... Still, it’s precisely because our medical community can’t predict the time, manner or conditions of one’s death that MAID should be a no-brainer. Nearly all end-of-life reform advocacy groups make clear that a self-managed death isn’t the same as suicide or euthanasia, and is instead a peaceful, humane and seemingly preferable alternative to the horrible conditions some in their final days endure.

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"Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”  Joshua J. Marine

El Dorado hospital announces new inpatient hospice care serviceKTVE-TV (El Dorado, AR)December 18, 2023El Dorado, AR—South Arkansas Regional Hospital has announced that their new services of hospice inpatient service. The hospital has partnered with Arkansas Hospice, the state’s largest non-profit provider of hospice care. 

VITAS® Healthcare Wins Award for Best-in-Class Employee Experience Across Healthcare in North AmericaNews ReleaseDecember 18, 2023Miami, FL—VITAS Healthcare is once again setting the standard for employer excellence within the healthcare and hospice community. The nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care for 45 years achieved the Best-in-Class Award in the category of employee experience in healthcare for North America, presented at the 2023 HRO Today Association Conference on December 1, 2023. 

Announcing the Winners of the 2023 SHN Architecture & Design AwardsSenior Housing NewsDecember 18, 2023Senior Housing News, an Aging Media Network publication, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 Senior Housing News Architecture & Design Awards. Communities across the United States and the globe submitted new construction and renovation/repositioning projects this year, vying for top honors across 17 categories.Hospice

Christmas tree dedicated to those who died in hospice care in 2023 stolen in EllensburgSource One (Columbia River Basin, WA)December 18, 2023Ellensburg, WA—In an unfortunate turn of events, a treasured Christmas tree, integral to a local hospice care volunteer group’s annual remembrance event, was reported stolen this past weekend. Hearts & Hands of Kittitas County, formerly known as Hospice Friends, has been a beacon of compassion and support in Ellensburg, dedicating their time to assist those in hospice care. The stolen tree, a centerpiece for their “Tree of Love” event, was intended to honor individuals served by the organization who passed away in 2023. This significant event, originally scheduled for January 25, 2024, not only serves as a memorial but also plays a crucial role in fundraising efforts for the group.

Maryland hospice organization helps parents navigate holidays with terminally ill childrenWTOP-FM (Washington, DC)December 18, 2023When a family has a child dealing with a terminal illness during the holidays, they also live with the harsh reality that their child may not be around for the next year’s festivities. Brian Berger, vice president of care continuum for Hospice of the Chesapeake in Maryland, said parents ask themselves questions like “What can I do with the time and space that I currently have?” and “What experiences can I have with my child?” 

Caregivers Are Invisible. They Shouldn’t BeBy Emma Nadler, LPCCNewsweekDecember 18, 2023Eight years ago, I unexpectedly joined the other 38 million unpaid caregivers in the United States. The AARP estimates that 11.5 percent of the U.S. population are caring for family members in 2023. We are many, and somehow, we are still grossly overlooked and under supported in nearly every way. My daughter, Eden, now in second grade, was born with a rare genetic deletion—so rare it does not have a name. She lives on a feeding tube, endures various chronic medical challenges, cognitive impairment, severe autism, and requires around-the-clock care.