Literature Review

Four nurses in two weeks assaulted at Essentia Hospitals: Nurses say violence is a consequence of unsafe staffing and inaction Minnesota Nurses Association, Brainer, MN; Press Release; 10/28/25Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) are once again outraged and deeply concerned after two more violent assaults on nurses at Essentia Health. A nurse at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd was attacked by a patient last Thursday, followed by another assault at the same facility over the weekend. The latest incidents come less than two weeks after two nurses were injured at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. Four nurses assaulted in under two weeks reflects a dangerous pattern in Essentia facilities—one that nurses have been warning about for years.Editor's Note: Continue reading for preventable actions and red flags, "True safety comes from care-based prevention." These were hospital settings; the home care settings your staff and volunteers enter provide much higher risks with less control. Ask your direct care staff for examples of professional situations that were unsafe. Office-based leaders, you might be surprised. Examine your workplace violence policies, procedures, trainings, incident reporting, and follow-up.

Halloween was confusing. All my life my parents said, ‘Never take candy from strangers.’ And then they dressed me up and said, 'Go beg for it.' ~ Rita Rudner

Learning to love fax again, courtesy of AI Forbes - Innovation; by Jeffrey Sullivan; 10/29/25 ... While other industries have moved on to less secure email and messaging platforms, fax still reigns supreme in healthcare. In fact, a majority of healthcare organizations still lean on fax as a primary source of communication, according to a recent survey ... The problem is that while fax is still healthcare’s go-to for sending and receiving information, many organizations haven’t updated their fax processes to adapt to current healthcare workflows that prioritize digital tools like EMRs and patient portals over traditional paper-centric practices.

Coming soon: VITAS Healthcare Hospice care in Pinellas County South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report; by cfelixcpa; 10/29/25 Beginning Nov. 3, residents of Pinellas County will have improved access to quality end-of-life care through VITAS Healthcare, ... VITAS will accept hospice-eligible referrals for patients in Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs and surrounding communities. According to research, only 61% of Medicare decedents in Florida access the Medicare Hospice Benefit—meaning many patients and families miss out on the medical, emotional and spiritual support available near the end of life.

Emergency preparedness efforts prevented deaths, serious injuries in massive fire, senior living operator saysMcKnight's Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 10/28/25A massive Friday night fire at a Michigan senior living community displaced 87 residents and staff members, but no serious injuries or deaths were reported thanks to emergency preparedness measures, according to the operator. Multiple fire departments responded to the blaze at American House Southgate in suburban Detroit... In an update provided to McKnight’s Senior Living by American House on Saturday, the company said that staff members and residents reacted quickly and efficiently. “Following their practiced fire drills, the team members and residents evacuated the building without incident,” the statement said, adding that the building’s fire systems all deployed as designed.

October is a fallen leaf, but it is also the wider horizon more clearly seen. ~ Hal Borlan

So you expect to live until age 100? Here are the financial issues you’ll need to address right now NTD; by Brian O'Connell; 10/28/25 Americans are growing used to the notion that they may live to a ripe old age, even as long as 100. According to a new study by Houston-based Corebridge Financial, 50 percent of U.S. adults say they’ll live to 100, and 49 percent say they hope hitting 100 actually happens. ... Living until age 100 brings so-called longevity risk, especially if you live 35 or 40 years after retiring. “That’s why you should focus on three pillars: long-term care planning, dependable lifetime income, and optimized Social Security,” Yehuda Tropper, CEO of Beca Life Settlements, a viatical & life settlement company, told NTD.

New Joint Commission Guidance on the use of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare The National Law Review; by  Paul R. DeMuro, PhD, Brandon K. von Kriegelstein, Taylor M. Stilwell Katten; 10/28/25 On September 17, 2025, the Joint Commission, in collaboration with the Coalition for Health AI (“CHAI”), issued its first high-level framework on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) in healthcare.  The Guidance on the Responsible Use of AI in Healthcare (“Guidance”) is intended to help hospitals and health systems responsibly deploy, govern, and monitor AI tools across organizations.  The goal of the Guidance is to help “…the industry align elements that enhance patient safety by reducing risks associated with AI error and improving administrative, operational, and patient outcomes by leveraging AI’s potential.” ... The seven core elements articulated by the Guidance are:

Providing service and support at every stage of illness: Palliative nurses improve quality of lifeCleveland Clinic; 10/28/25In palliative nursing, delivering compassionate, high-quality care to people facing terminal or chronic illnesses is a responsibility, and a privilege. Nurses like Marina Sargin, BSN, RN, who specialize in the field, explain it as humbling, rewarding and purposeful... Different from hospice care, which is end-of-life care for those who have less than six months to live, palliative care can benefit people of any age, at any stage of illness, and for however long it is warranted.

WHO strengthens palliative care across the eastern Mediterranean to improve quality of life fundsforNGOs; Press Release; 10/29/25 The Seventy-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean marked a historic step forward for health systems in the Region, as Member States endorsed resolution EM/RC72/R.4 on palliative care. The decision represents a transformative commitment to support individuals living with life-limiting illnesses, chronic conditions, and frailty, ensuring that care extends beyond treatment to dignity and compassion. ... [While] 2.4 million people in the Region need palliative care each year, less than 1% currently receive it. ... The resolution calls for countries to integrate palliative care into national health strategies, guarantee access to essential medicines such as oral opioids, and incorporate palliative care education into health professional training.

Strategies for managing rising healthcare premiums with Jason Bradshaw Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Jason Bradshaw; 10/29/25 In this episode of TCNtalks, host Chris Comeaux welcomes back Jason Bradshaw, a seasoned benefits consultant with USI Insurance Services. Together, they unpack why healthcare premiums are rising, where volatility is coming from, and how employers can regain control without gutting benefits.  Jason shares practical funding models, transparency tools, and a playbook for building a cost culture that actually moves behavior.

EverHeart Hospice to be featured on all access with Andy Garcia Mercer County Outlook, Greenville, OH; 10/27/25 EverHeart Hospice is set to be featured in an upcoming national documentary distributed to public television on “All Access with Andy Garcia.” The segment will provide vital education on the topics of hospice and palliative care, highlighting the compassionate, specialized support EverHeart Hospice provides to its patients and families. ... The feature will be distributed nationally, reaching major markets in all fifty states, with an anticipated availability in early 2026 for circulation. The national emphasis on distribution will help demystify end-of-life care and promote a greater understanding of the benefits of both hospice and palliative services to viewing audiences.