Literature Review

Medical marijuana bill coming back to Wisconsin in January. Here's what else is ahead on pot legalization in 2024.Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/20/23At the start of this year, it seemed possible that Wisconsin's marijuana laws could change, and the state would join 38 others in offering a medical-use program. That prospect came and went in 2023. But the momentum could pick up again in the new year. In a year-end interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Republicans will reintroduce a medical marijuana bill in January.

St. Francis Medical Center workers fired 5 days before ChristmasLos Angeles Daily News, 12/22/23Striking workers at St. Francis Medical Center who have openly complained of understaffing and inadequate patient care were fired Wednesday, Dec. 20, just five days before Christmas.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. ~John 16:33

Hospice tech helps Scottsdale patientScottsdale (AZ) Progress, By Lin Sue Flood, 12/22/23ALS has changed John Rosso’s life, but not in the way one might imagine. The cheery-natured Scottsdale resident doesn’t focus on what he can no longer do. Instead, the 73-year-old channels his energy into pushing boundaries and overcoming challenges posed by the neurodegenerative disease. ... Hospice of the Valley’s unique Pulmonary Resource Program supports patients with neuromuscular diseases, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, COPD and other conditions that affect breathing.[Editor’s Note: The author is Director of Community Engagement for Hospice of the Valley, Phoenix, AZ.]

Hospice patient granted wish of meeting penguin at Mystic AquariumWTNH-TV (New Haven, CT), 12/22/23Mystic, CT—Mystic Aquarium played host to a special visitor on Wednesday to give her a every special experience. It’s been more than 30 years since Denise Oliver has been to Mystic Aquarium. Visiting and being able to pet a penguin, she said, made her “like a kid.” “Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m actually touching a penguin,” she said. Oliver is on hospice care at Civita Care Center at West River in Milford. “People kind of see [hospice] as the last little bit of their life, but it’s supposed to bring a celebration for all that they’ve done, and be able to enjoy the things that they like to do,” said Tayler Klein, the director of social services at the Civita Care Center.

Award-winning ‘Music With Movement’ program arms caregivers with tuneful tool to treat dementiaMcKnights Senior Living, By Aaron Dorman, 12/19/23One recent music and movement intervention program designed for seniors combines a number of different technologies, including augmented reality, to help them combat depression and anxiety from their condition, researchers say. Music, and music therapy, have been recognized as a way to help enrich life for senior living community residents.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ~Albert Einstein

AJN Books of the Year 2023American Journal of Nursing, in the Palliative Care and Hospice category, first-place winner: The Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Nursing, edited by William E. Rosa and Betty R. Ferrell. 2nd edition. New York City, Oxford University Press.

OSHA, NAHCA alliance aims to protect CNAs from safety and health hazardsMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 21, 2023A new alliance between the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Association of Health Care Assistants aims to help protect certified nursing assistants in Missouri from exposure to safety and health hazards. The agreement, signed by OSHA’s regional office and NAHCA last month, provides the framework for a new alliance. 

As new nursing program launches at WVSU, health care officials turn eye to retaining workersWest Virginia WatchDecember 21, 2023Amid ongoing staffing shortages in hospitals locally and nationwide, West Virginia State University will be launching a new nursing degree program next year. The licensed practical nurse to Bachelor of Science in nursing pathway will be a hybrid degree program and will launch in the summer of 2024, according to a news release from WVSU. “The new [program] is designed as a pathway for working licensed practical nurses who desire to obtain a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree,” the press release reads. 

Madera hospital could reopen with new management partners. What to knowFresno (CA) BeeDecember 20, 2023Nearly a year after shutting down operations, Madera Community Hospital has approved a second deal with a financial partner to help it reopen. The hospital board of trustees approved a temporary management service agreement on Monday with American Advanced Management Inc., a Modesto—based hospital management company. 

Helios Care Partners with Bassett Healthcare to Expand Hospice, Palliative ServicesHospice NewsDecember 21, 2023The hospice and senior care provider Helios Care is partnering with the integrated health system Bassett Healthcare Network to bring more extensive access to hospice and palliative care to patients in central New York. ... As a result of the partnership, the New York State Department of Health issued certificates of need allowing Helios to expand into additional counties. 

The Top 10 Home Health Care News Stories Of 2023Home Health Care NewsDecember 20, 2023In the first year that truly felt “post-COVID,” home-based care providers did not see a shortage of challenges. Instead, in 2023, home health providers saw another year defined by payment struggles, with both the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Medicare Advantage plans.  ... Reflect back on this year in home-based care by revisiting 10 of HHCN’s most widely read stories.