Literature Review

Teamwork: Simply stated, it is less me and more we." - Anonymous

USF Health College of Nursing launches new Hospice and Palliative Care Graduate Certificate Program for nurses USF Health - University of South Florida; 3/25/24In response to the increasing need for skilled professionals in end-of-life care, USF Health College of Nursing has launched a graduate certificate program in Hospice and Palliative Care. This program will equip registered nurses with the education, training, and clinical hours required to take the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN®) exam. The USF Health College of Nursing Hospice and Palliative Care Certificate is an online training program consisting of six courses taken over three semesters. 

Palliative care improves quality of life for bone marrow transplant patients Duke Health News & Media, by Alexis Porter; 3/25/24 ... Researchers tested the effectiveness of an integrated palliative care intervention across diverse settings. They enrolled 360 adults undergoing bone marrow transplants at three academic medical centers, including Duke University Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Fred Hutch Cancer Center at the University of Washington. ... Patients receiving the palliative care intervention reported better quality of life, defined by the degree to which an individual is healthy, comfortable, and able to participate in life events. They also had lower depression, PTSD and fatigue symptoms compared to those receiving usual care. 

Caring for patients with non-English language preferences American Association of Critical-Care Nurses; 3/25/24 ... With a growing population of people who speak a language other than English at home, nurses and other healthcare professionals must work toward providing better language-inclusive medical care. ... Nurses and other clinical providers must be well-informed regarding the lifesaving nature of language access in healthcare despite any personal bias against or perceived inconvenience of using interpreter services. [This article includes: ]

How CoxHealth flattened nurse turnover Becker's Health IT, by Naomi Diaz; 3/22/24 CoxHealth was able to reduce its turnover rate from around 25% to around 11%, which is more than a 50% decrease after its virtual nursing program was able to bring back the passion for its staff members. The Springfield, MO-based health system started its virtual nursing program after it was facing reduced staffing levels after the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Eisenhower Health purchases Neuro Vitality Center in Palm Springs [for new PACE Center] InvestorsObserver, PR Newswire; 3/25/24Made possible through generous philanthropic support, Eisenhower Health has purchased the Neuro Vitality Center (formerly the Stroke Recovery Center). In partnership with Los Angeles Jewish Health (LAJHealth), Eisenhower will provide a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) at the former Neuro Vitality Center location. After a renovation, the site is expected to open with a new name and focus in the next 12 to 18 months. "Eisenhower Health is committed to addressing the long-term health care needs for low-income seniors through this new Center and PACE program," says Martin Massiello, President and Chief Executive Officer, Eisenhower Health.

At Levine Children’s Hospital, therapy dogs provide “a special kind of medicine” Charlotte Magazine, by Jen Tota McGivney; 3/25/24 Last winter, after a little boy at Levine Children’s Hospital entered end-of-life care, his doctors and nurses wanted to give the boy and his family happy moments together in the hospital. They called in a specialist. Enter Sprout, a 4-year-old Labrador retriever. Sprout is the key member of the Art & Barks program at the oncology and hemophilia clinic at Levine Children’s Hospital.  ... The family spent hours that day at Art & Barks, drawing and taking pictures together and cuddling Sprout. The mementos became priceless works of art. 

‘You can become a husband again’ National Association of Federal Retirees (Canada); by Jennifer Campbell; 3/25/24When his wife got a much-needed bed in palliative care, a perceptive nurse told Brian Hills he could concentrate on being a husband again, instead of a caregiver. 

What is the FAST scale for Alzheimer's?MedicalNewsToday, by Charlotte Lillis and medically reviewed by Shilpa Amin, MD, CAQ, FAAFP; 3/25/24The Reisberg Functional Assessment Screening Tool (FAST) is a scale that doctors use to diagnose and evaluate aspects of Alzheimer’s disease. ... This article provides an overview of the FAST tool, including a breakdown of its individual stages. It also outlines what to expect from the FAST evaluation, what the scale means for hospice care, and more.

Midwest nursing home operator files for bankruptcy Modern Healthcare; 3/21/24 Nursing facility operator Petersen Health Care filed for reorganization Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, citing between 5,000 and 10,000 creditors in its petition. The Peoria, Illinois-based company, which operates 62 nursing homes in Illinois and Missouri, listed assets between $100 million and $500 million in its Chapter 11 filing and between $100 million and $500 million in liabilities. 

Digital avatars and personalized voices—How AI is helping to restore speech to patients JAMA Network, by Samantha Anderer and Yulin Hswen, ScD, MHP; 3/22/24 This conversation is part of a series of interviews in which JAMA Editor in Chief Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS, and expert guests explore issues surrounding the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and medicine.  As a specialist in advanced brain mapping methods, Edward Chang, MD, set out to understand the mechanisms that turn our thoughts into words. Now, with the help of AI, his team at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Weill Institute for Neurosciences has demonstrated that the brain signals associated with speech-related sensory and motor processes could grant a new voice to patients who have lost the ability to speak.

4 things nobody tells you about watching a loved one die of cancer The New York Post; by Jessica Ariel Wendroff; 3/23/24 ... “The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present,” the Princess of Wales, 42, revealed in a bombshell videotaped statement Friday. ... While the royal insisted she is “well and getting stronger every day,” other patients’ real pain begins when the cancer has spread too far and chemotherapy and radiation no longer work, so doctors stop treatment. As the daughter of a Stage 4 bladder cancer patient, I’ve empirically learned four realities that people usually don’t talk about ...

15 top health system workplaces, per USA Today Becker's Hospital Review, by Giles Bruce; 3/21/24 Fifteen health systems were named top workplaces in the U.S. by USA Today and human resources technology company Energage. Released March 20, the Top Workplaces USA 2024 list was determined using Energage's confidential employee engagement surveys and participating company benchmarks that take into account years of workplace culture research. [Click on the title's link to view these 15 health systems]Editor's Note: Each of these health systems has a hospice and/or palliative program. We honor your commitments and innovations to ensure "top workplace cultures" for your employees.