Literature Review

[UK] Does non-beneficial nasogastric tube feeding occur during end-of-life care? An audit of outcomes for those with a malnutrition universal screening tool score of 2Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Ross Andrew James Webster, Moitree Banerjee, Rachel King, Rosana Pacella, Antonina Pereira; 8/25The consideration of artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) is recommended for individuals with reduced nutritional intake. However, placing long-term nonoral feeding tubes is not appropriate in those with advanced dementia or if the individual is likely to die imminently—“within hours or days”. In some instances, the provision of ANH in the weeks leading up to death may be considered a “Non-Beneficial Treatment.” In [this study a] total [of] 40 (47.6%) of 84 NGT [nasogastric tube]-flagged individuals were deceased within six months. Conclusions: NGT insertions in this cohort have a high likelihood of being considered “non-beneficial.”

[Australia] The unmet needs of parents in pediatric palliative care: A qualitative systematic reviewJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Piyumi Senanayake, John Oldroyd; 8/25The goal of pediatric palliative care is to improve the quality of life of children with life-limiting or life-threatening disease and their families through a holistic care approach. Thirteen studies were included [in this analysis]. Five major themes emerged: (1) pediatric palliative care services delivery and care coordination, (2) emotional, psychological, and spiritual support, (3) end-of-life care and bereavement support, (4) practical and daily living support, and (5) communication and information. Parents reported unmet needs in multiple dimensions and wished for more support in caring for their children. Given that all of the unmet needs align with already established pediatric palliative care standards, this review highlights the need for revised health care policies and practices that will lead to better implementation of these standards in practice.

Benefits and burdens of research participation: A mixed methods systematic review in palliative and end-of-life careJournal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Cara L Wallace, Stephanie P Wladkowski, Ruaa Al-Juboori, Anna Wingo, Kathryn W Coccia, Rebecca Hyde, Verna Hendricks-Ferguson; 8/25Research participation of hospice and palliative care patients and family caregivers is essential to develop and test best practices. Yet, healthcare professionals are often hesitant to ask patients and caregivers to participate in research, fearing it is too intrusive or unethical during a sensitive time. This review focused on the motivating factors, benefits, and burdens of research participation for patients with serious illness and their family caregivers. For clinicians and researchers, connecting patients and caregivers to palliative and end-of-life research may be both beneficial as a contribution to scientific literature and as an additional source of ongoing support.

[Canada] How mobile palliative care unit is making a difference Ontario Hospital Association - New Models of Care, Ontario, Canada; Press Release; 9/9/25 Launched earlier this year, the PEGASUS program, short for palliative expertise group for ambulatory support and unified solutions, is an innovative, mobile model of care that brings palliative medicine directly to patients in outpatient clinics across the hospital. Rather than establishing a traditional clinic space, the PEGASUS team “flies” to where the need is. ... The result: a consultation-based team that integrates seamlessly into existing ambulatory clinics, avoiding duplication of services and focusing on enhancing continuity of care. 

My keyboard must be broken. I keep hitting the escape key, but I'm still at work. ~ Unknown

Executive Personnel Changes - 9/12/25

Disaster preparedness in 2025: Recommendations for healthcare chief executive officers Becker's Hospital Review - Leadership & Management; by Anne Davila Casas Diamond; 9/9/25 September is National Preparedness Month, which aims to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for emergencies. The American College of Healthcare Executives advises healthcare executives to actively participate in disaster preparedness for natural and man-made disasters. This advice has never been more relevant as healthcare organizations plan for the 2026 fiscal year. The decreased financial resources from local, state and federal agencies require increased vigilance by healthcare leaders. ... Our preparedness now for the potential of man-made or natural disasters will benefit both our local communities and our workforces as we strive to keep highly reliable and effective operations under all situations. Editor's Note: For a wealth of resources, information, and stories we have published, go to our homepage, click on "Search" (if not already, "Login" to your subscription), and type in a key word that is relevant to your service area, e.g. disaster, hurricane, flood, fire, tornado, evacuate, et. al. 

Lights, camera, act up! Residents get royal treatment during photo sessions McKnights Long-Term Care News, The Brighter Side; by Foster Stubbs; 9/2/25The Village at Incarnate Word in San Antonio is home to approximately 275 older adults, including over 50 retired religious sisters. Some of them have recently found a new calling: modeling. Terri Landez, the community’s director of communications, had seen a news story about the work of Pop of Colors Images and struck up an Instagram friendship with the organization. ... Once they got the go-ahead, Pop of Colors photographers Megan Bowling and Jessica Rodriguez-Green turned the facility’s memory care floor into a photography studio, complete with a variety of royalty-themed props and outfits. Editor's Note: Do you need a smile? This will bring it! Enjoy and share. 

UPDATED: CMS confirms launch of $75M nursing home staff training fund McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kimberly Marselas; 9/9/25 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz has announced that his agency is moving forward with $75 million in funding to support a long-awaited tuition reimbursement and training program for nursing home staff. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz has announced that his agency is moving forward with $75 million in funding to support a long-awaited tuition reimbursement and training program for nursing home staff. ... Reaction to the update Tuesday was varied ... noting that the spending could amount to about $5,000 per US nursing home.

The tangled web of nurse education Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Mariah Taylor; 8/29/25 In the last few years, hospital leaders have been faced with a tangled web of needs: easing nurse shortages, retaining nurses, and helping all pursue their career dreams. Their solutions all come down to nurse education. Health systems have been taking a more active role in providing, supporting and building out nurse education programs in universities and as part of employee benefits. However, they still face a number of complex issues.  Editor's Note: What types of career ladder systems and support to you have in place, especially for your aides to move into nursing and to grow nurses into leadership roles? What universities or online education systems can you utilize? What personalized educational assessments and plans to you include in your employees' regular Performance Reviews? For nonprofits, what donor/grant-driven programs do you have, or might you start to support career ladders for your clinical employees?

New van opens doors for Hospice of West Alabama clients Tuscaloosa News, Tuscaloosa, AL; by Gary Cosby, Jr.; 9/8/25 A new Hospice of West Alabama transport van is rolling through the streets, courtesy of the generosity of community donors. Hospice Executive Director Latrelle Hallum said the new vehicle will greatly expand the services they can offer to their clients. Before purchasing the new Toyota Sienna minivan, the organization did not have the ability to take clients places they needed to get to. "It's going to allow us to do a lot of extras. We will do Christmas lights tour for our patients and families in December, take them to graduations, or to see a newborn baby, or a Thanksgiving gathering, or to doctor's appointments. The only requirement is that it is not an ambulance. We can only transport people who are in a wheelchair," Hallum said.

Reducing family caregiver burden may prevent 30-day ED readmissions among community-dwelling older adults, study finds McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Foster Stubbs; 9/9/25 Alleviating caregiver burden may reduce returns to the emergency department for older adults up to 30 days after a discharge, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study examined 1409 dyads or duos of community-dwelling patients 65 years or older and their family caregivers. ... [Questions] included items about strain in the caregiver’s role and personal life associated with caregiving. ... "We interpret these findings as evidence that caregiver burden may contribute to a negative care transition, associated with 30-day ED revisits, ..."

The next phase in virtual nursing Becker's Health IT; by Ella Jeffries; 9/9/25 The face of a nurse now appears on a television screen in hundreds of rooms at Jackson, Mich.-based Henry Ford Jackson Hospital. From a command center down the hall, the nurse conducts safety checks, reviews charts and helps patients prepare for discharge — all without ever crossing the threshold. This new model, known as virtual nursing, is not a futuristic experiment so much as a response to an immediate crisis. Michigan is already short as many as 20,000 registered nurses, according to Eric Wallis, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer of Detroit-based Henry Ford Health, and the average nurse in the state is older than 50.