Literature Review

Bitter strike over as nurses, N.J. hospital reach tentative agreementNewark (NJ) Star-LedgerDecember 2, 2023The nurses strike that lasted more than 120 days has finally ended. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital announced Friday that it has tentatively reached a new collective bargaining agreement with the United Steel Workers 4-200, which represents the 1,700 nurses who went on strike Aug. 4.

President Jimmy Carter’s experience dispels hospice mythsBy Aaron WheelerDes Moines RegisterDecember 4, 2023... What makes Carter’s hospice situation a little different from most is that he first received hospice services in February 2023—a full 10 months ago, shortly after the recurrence of a life-limiting cancer. While many individuals and families view hospice services as a “last resort,” it’s clear the Carters viewed it for what it is: a way to help people live as fully as they can as long as they are able. If I could change one thing about the way most people view hospice services, that would be that “hospice” is often a word people dread because of the “death sentence” connotation. In reality, hospice is not about giving up hope. It’s about maximizing quality of life based on the individual’s choices, and often about helping family members transition back from caregiver status to simply being a spouse or a son or a daughter again.[Editor’s Note: Aaron Wheeler is vice president of home and community-based services for WesleyLife, Johnston, IA].

8-year-old in hospice wants 2,000 cards for his birthday and ChristmasWEWS-TV (Cleveland, OH)December 4, 2023Cleveland, OH—If you are looking to give some love this holiday season, there is a young boy who would appreciate getting a Christmas or birthday card from you. Andrew Miller is an 8-year-old who enjoys cards and loves reading them every day. Linda Miller, Andrew’s mom, said last year, her son was diagnosed with two types of Stage Four cancers. ... “He’s got so many little tumors starting in our inoperable places and there’s nothing we could do about it,” said Linda. So, his parents came up with a plan to get his spirits up again. “Every time something comes in the mail, he’s all excited. So, for his birthday we’re trying to get him 1000 birthday cards,” said Linda. ... If you would like to send a card, the mailing information is: Buddy, Truman House Community Hospice, 716 Commercial Ave. SW, New Philadelphia, OH 44663.

Banner Health to close hospice operations; staff moves to Phoenix nonprofitPhoenix Business JournalDecember 4, 2023Banner Health, the state’s largest health system, is closing down its own hospice operations and is transitioning its patients and hospice staff to another provider. An estimated 70 hospice staff from Phoenix-based Banner Health have begun the move over to Hospice of the Valley, effective Dec. 1.

Lifepoint Health and Ascension Saint Thomas announce joint ventureHealthcare DiveDecember 4, 2023Rural hospital chain Lifepoint Health and Ascension Saint Thomas announced a joint venture last week to co-own Highpoint Health, a four-hospital system in Tennessee currently operated by Brentwood, Tennessee-based Lifepoint. The hospitals and care sites will be co-branded with Ascension Saint Thomas, but will be majority-owned and operated by Lifepoint, according to the release.

History despite its wrenching pain cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. ~Maya Angelou

How Value-Based Care, Investors Could Impact Palliative Care StaffingPalliative Care NewsDecember 4, 2023Interest in palliative care is rising among job-seeking clinicians, but the influx remains too slow to meet rising demand. ... Though far more resources are needed, more opportunities for clinical palliative care training have been emerging in recent years, according to Dr. Nathan Goldstein, currently professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

A nursing reboot—Jobs are on the rise in FloridaTampa Bay Times/Florida TrendNovember 29, 2023All the (nursing shortage) churn resulted in the highest vacancy and turnover rates for hospital RNs ever recorded by the Florida Hospital Association, which tracks such data. Three years later, there are signs of a rebound. Vacancy rates for hospital RNs have dropped from 21% in 2022 to 13% in 2023, and turnover dropped from 32% to 20% over the same period.

Why are the holidays so hard?Jenn Flaum, LCSW, MBAExecutive Director, Heartlight Center, Denver, COThe holiday season can be filled with emotions that can be more profound and surprising than other times of the year, especially for individuals who are grieving. Subsequently, it is common for us to ask the question: Why are the holidays so hard? Editor Note: The author includes several suggestions that may be helpful for you, your patients, and their family members.

Never Visit a Dying PersonBy Virginia A. Simpson, PhDNext AvenueDecember 1, 2023Before a fit of disgust at my callousness takes over, I’m going tell you what I mean when I say, Never visit a dying person. After a young woman named Beyhan died, her friends put together her words and published a small book called “Beyhan’s Journey.” Beyhan said, I could always tell when someone was visiting a dying person. She meant that because they no longer saw her as the person she still was, they treated her differently. The message is this: Visit the person, not their disease, diagnosis or prognosis.[Editor’s Note: The author has worked with dying and grieving people for more than 38 years. She’s the author of “The Space Between: A Memoir of Mother-Daughter Love at the End of Life.”]

FAIRHOPE places umbrellas around area for people to use or borrowLancaster (OH) Eagle GazetteDecember 3, 2023Lancaster, OH—FAIRHOPE Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc. has placed umbrellas around Fairfield County to use and borrow as part of its thank you to the community for the November Celebration of Hospice and Palliative Care Month. “We are grateful to be part of such an extraordinary community that always supports us,” said Kristin Glasure, FAIRHOPE President/CEO.

End-of-life clinicians are trying to shift Hollywood’s depiction of deathDeath is often depicted in TV and movies, but some clinicians say not very accurately. They’re trying to shift the way Hollywood represents it.NPRDecember 3, 2023YESHA RASCOE, HOST: We’re used to seeing death on TV and in the movies, but some clinicians who work with people at the end of life say the most common depictions aren’t representative of what happens in the real world. They’re trying to shift the stories we tell about death to help people cope better.[Editor’s Note: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded a similar effort 20 years ago called “Last Acts.”][Editor’s Note: To listen to the 4-minute report, click here.]