Literature Review

Keys to addressing ethical, moral distress in pediatric hospice Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 5/6/24 Hospices may be under-prepared to navigate the complexities in end-of-life decisions among terminally ill children, as the ethical and moral considerations related to patient autonomy are vastly different for pediatric populations compared to adults. Ethical principles of autonomy vary in pediatric populations due to a number of factors, including a child’s age, developmental stage, cognitive capacity and their spiritual background and beliefs, according to Christy Torkildson, director at the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition of California. 

Palliative patients can die peacefully at home with paramedic support, claims proposed frameworkRiotack - Australia; by James Day; 5/6/24A proposed national framework suggests paramedics could help ease pressure on emergency departments by supporting palliative care patients who wish to die at home. Published in the leading international peer reviewed journal Palliative Medicine, the framework seeks to embed palliative care into paramedics’ core business and reduce needless transports to hospital. ... Lead author and trained paramedic Dr. Madeleine Juhrmann developed the framework in consultation with paramedics, palliative care doctors, GPs, carers with lived experience and others. The expert group – representing six countries and all the states of Australia – agreed on the framework’s 32 service changes to standardise best practice for paramedics delivering palliative care in community-based settings.Pair this with a USA article in today's newsletter, "Stranded in the ER, seniors await hospital care and suffer avoidable harm." 

27 hospitals, health systems cutting jobs Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Kelly Gooch; updated 5/3/24A number of hospitals and health systems are reducing their workforces or jobs due to financial and operational challenges. Below are workforce reduction efforts or job eliminations announced this year. ...

Early-career physicians working temp roles to 'test drive' practice settings, survey finds Becker's Hospital Review; by Alan Condon; 5/3/24Physicians and advanced practice providers are opting for the flexibility of temporary, locum tenens work in seek of improved job conditions and to relieve burnout, according to an April 23 survey conducted by AMN Healthcare. AMN, the largest provider of healthcare interim leadership and executive search services in the U.S., asked physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who recently have worked locum tenens why they do so. The number one reason, according to 86% of respondents, was a better work schedule, followed closely by addressing feelings of burnout (80%).

Stranded in the ER, seniors await hospital care and suffer avoidable harm KFF Health News; by Judith Graham; 5/6/24 Every day, the scene plays out in hospitals across America: Older men and women lie on gurneys in emergency room corridors moaning or suffering silently as harried medical staff attend to crises. Even when physicians determine these patients need to be admitted to the hospital, they often wait for hours — sometimes more than a day — in the ER in pain and discomfort, not getting enough food or water, not moving around, not being helped to the bathroom, and not getting the kind of care doctors deem necessary.

TCN News Stories of the Month, April 2024TCN Talks; by Chris Comeaux; 5/1/24In this week’s podcast Mark Cohen joins once more for the Top News Stories for the prior month. This is a new format as Mark has retired from publishing the Hospice News Today as he has transitioned it to Cordt Kassner and the daily publication has been rebranded as Hospice and Palliative Care Today. You can subscribe for free here: https://www.hospicepalliativecaretoday.com.

Workers at two Essentia Health facilities file for union representation Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA); by Sam Fettig and Lauren Bloomquist; 5/2/24 Registered nurses at Essentia Miller Hill Surgery Center and nurses and other healthcare workers at Essentia Solvay Hospice House announced this week that they have filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board to form a union represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association ... because they want a voice in their workplace to improve both working conditions and how care is provided to their patients. ... At Essentia Solvay Hospice House, workers across the board, including Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nursing Assistants, Administrative Assistants, Environmental Services workers, and Cooks, filed for a union election.

The power of art in palliative care InSight+, Melbourne, Australia; by Caitlin Wright; 5/6/24 ... Melbourne artist Jeffrey Kelson is known for his thought-provoking portraits, several of which have been exhibited at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. He believes a portrait is a window into a subject’s heart and mind. However, after being diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer, it wasn’t this style of art that Mr. Kelson was drawn to. As soon as he felt well enough to return to his studio, he started work on a series of colourful collages. “At one point, my wife came into the room and commented on how bright they were and how full of life force. She was surprised that I could create pieces that were so energetic when I felt so ill. I hadn’t really thought about it. I just needed to work,” he told InSight+. ... Palliative care specialist Dr Eric Fairbank was one of Mr Kelson’s art students for several years before Mr. Kelson’s diagnosis. He said Mr Kelson’s approach to his diagnosis has confirmed his belief that the best outcomes of cancer treatment are achieved when they’re complemented by the patient’s own resources of mind, will and spirit. [Click on the title's link to view several of his paintings.]

Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow's reality. - Malala Yousafzai

National Nurses Week 2024: RN reflects on the state of the profession, calls for change USA Today / Columbia Daily Tribune; by Julia Gomez, USA Today; 5/6/24 Monday, May 6 kicks off National Nurses Week, and it gives folks an opportunity to show their love and appreciation for the people who take care of the sick, injured and dying. From neonatal nurses who help welcome newborns into the world to hospice nurses that provide peace and comfort to their dying patients, nurses play a crucial role in the medical industry. ... Catherine Kennedy, a registered nurse and the Vice President of National Nurses United, told USA TODAY that there needs to be systemic change on the federal level to give nurses the best chance to care for their patients. A study published by the National Library of Medicine states that in 2021, nurses would work an average of "8.2 hours of paid overtime and 5.8 hours of unpaid overtime per week that year — making up the equivalent of more than 9000 full-time jobs." ... 

Families are often unaware of benefits of palliative hospice care, says retired oncologist KSMU Ozarks Public Radio; radio segment by Linda Regan; 5/5/24 In this episode of our local program Making Democracy Work, host Linda Regan speaks with returning guest Dr. Robert Carolla, retired medical oncologist and board member for Hospice Foundation of the Ozarks. Carolla discusses palliative hospice care and says that families often sign up too late to receive all of the supportive benefits. He says “death is a part of life” and explores common misconceptions associated with hospice care.

Home-based pediatric hospice and palliative care provider visits: Effects on healthcare utilization The Journal of Pediatrics; by Steven M. Smith, MD; Daniel H. Grossoehme, DMin; Kate Cicozi, MD; Audrey Hiltunen, MD; Catherine Roth, MPH, CCRP; Gwendolyn Richner, BA; Stephani S. Kim, PhD, MPH; Nguyen K. Tram, PhD; Sarah Friebert, MD; May 2024 journal issue Objective: This hypothesis-generating study sought to assess the impact of home-based hospice and palliative care (HBHPC) provider home visits (HV) on healthcare use.  Conclusion: HBHPC provider HVs were associated with fewer inpatient admissions, hospital days, and intensive care unit days, and increased clinically relevant phone calls and phone calls before emergency department visit. These findings indicate that HBHPC HV may contribute to decreased inpatient use and increased use of the HBHPC team.