Literature Review

UVM hospice team holds “Honk and Wave” protest over contract negotiations NBC 5, Burlington, VT; by Yunier Martinez; 12/21/25 Nurses and supporters held a “Honk and Wave” protest Saturday along Shelburne Road to build community support for the hospice union’s ongoing contract negotiations. "We want the community to know the value of the work we do," says nurse practitioner Lindsay Gerdeman. ... A spokesperson for the hospital released the following statement: "... We value our hospice team and understand that negotiating for a first contract will take time. ..." Negotiations are set to resume in January.

‘Heart of cancer care’: Social workers can improve advance care planning documentation Healio; by Josh Friedman; 12/16/25 Empowering social workers to discuss advance care planning with older patients with cancer could improve documentation of goals, focus treatment decisions and reduce burdens on oncologists and the cancer care team. A pilot program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health showed embedding a social worker into routine oncology visits for patients aged 65 years and older doubled documentation in the electronic health record. Editor's Note: Read this result again, using social workers doubled documention in the EHR for patients 65 years and older, underscoring the clinical and ethical impact of relationship-centered conversations led by trained professionals. 

[South Korea] Factors influencing burnout among hospice and palliative care ward nursesJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Young-Mi Kim, Chieun Song, Jeoungmin Park; 11/25This study aimed to identify the factors influencing burnout among nurses in hospice and palliative care units. This descriptive correlational study investigated the effects of nursing practice environment, resilience, and nurses' character on burnout among hospice and palliative care ward nurses. The participants were 217 nurses working in hospice wards of 20 institutions selected from the 88 inpatient hospice and palliative care institutions designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in South Korea, as of 2021. The results showed that a better nursing practice environment and higher resilience were positively associated with lower burnout. Among hospice and palliative care nurses, being in their 30s and having fewer than 5 years of total clinical experience were associated with higher burnout.

Hospice Savannah launches Certified Nursing Assistant Training Program Savannah Tribune, Savannah, GA; Press Release; 12/17/25 Hospice Savannah is proud to partner with Senior Citizens, Inc. and Savannah Technical College to launch the Edel Caregiver Institute’s Weekend Certified Nursing Assistant Training Program. ...  Open to all community members, the program provides full CNA accreditation through Savannah Tech and will include specialized dementia and elder-care skills training. For those who qualify, scholarships are available offering tuition assistance, CAT Bus vouchers, childcare support, discounted meals, and immediate employment opportunities with Hospice Savannah or Senior Citizens, Inc. upon successful completion and certification.Editor's Note: This innovative CNA Training Program was awarded a $50,000 grand from Savannah Philanthropic Partners, under the leadership of President/CEO Kathleen Benton.

The ethical challenge of negative compassion: How excessive empathy in end-of-life care affects decision-making and patient autonomy Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Victoria Pérez-Rugosa, Gina Lladó-Jordan, Pablo de Lorena-Quintal, Esther Domínguez-Valdés, Antonia Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Carmen Sarabia-Cobo; 12/11/25 Online ahead of print ... 3 key themes emerged: decision paralysis and emotional overload, conflicts between personal beliefs and professional responsibilities, and institutional barriers to ethical practice. Findings reveal that excessive emotional involvement can hinder the implementation of patients' documented wishes, potentially compromising patient autonomy and increasing caregiver distress. The study highlights the need for institutional policies that support emotional resilience, structured debriefing, and ethics training. ... These insights are highly relevant for palliative nursing practice, offering guidance for supporting staff and upholding patient-centered care in end-of-life settings.

Poured out and given: The lived experience of self-care among hospice nurses in rural Appalachia Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Amanda Camden, Sandra P Thomas, Lisa C Lindley, Lisa Davenport, Ali Winters; 12/5/25, Online ahead of print Hospice nurses encounter profound challenges that make self-care both essential and deeply complex. ... The findings suggest that practicing self-care must be augmented by other actions such as systemic changes, caseload limits, leadership training, and structured emotional support systems. This study highlights the urgent need for health care systems to prioritize hospice nurses' well-being and help sustain compassionate nursing care.

Rainbow dedicates tree and memorial bench in honor of beloved nurse practitioner Kristina Heimsch Rainbow Community Care; Jefferson, Wisconsin; by Rainbow Community Care Team; 10/13/25Rainbow Community Care hosted a touching dedication ceremony on Monday, October 6, to honor the life and contributions of Kristina Heimsch, a cherished nurse practitioner who passed away in April 2025 at the age of 37. Held in collaboration with Kristina’s family, the event established a peaceful and lasting tribute to her presence within the Rainbow family. A Fire Maple tree, which was generously gifted by McKay Nursery of Waterloo, now stands on the front lawn of the Rainbow Hospice Care Inpatient Center. Kristina’s family also donated a memorial bench in her memory.

Women are telling the truth in their out-of-office messages. It’s devastating Marie Claire, New York, NY; 11/25/25 A national campaign is delivering a radically honest wake-up call about childcare, burnout, and what it means to live in a country without paid leave. ... This year, working women across the U.S. hit a breaking point. More than 450,000 have left the workforce since January—one of the sharpest declines in recent history, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And, overwhelmingly, the women most likely to walk away are mothers with young children. ... Which is why today, some of them are finally saying so out loud. Not in op-eds or protests, but in their out-of-office replies.

Retention first: The smarter recruitment strategy for nonprofits Forbes; by James Dismond; 11/25/25 Retaining talent at a nonprofit has always had its challenges, but today, it’s becoming unsustainable. ... A recent report found that nearly half of nonprofit leaders cite recruitment or retention as their top challenge, and nearly two-thirds report struggling to fill staff vacancies in the past year. In my industry of hospice and palliative care, the shortage of qualified talent is even more devastating. Right now, there are merely 13.35 hospice and palliative care specialists per 100,000 seniors in the United States. This is concerning because turnover of registered hospice nurses reached 25% in 2023—more than double the private-sector average.

Coordinating at-home care, enhancing quality of life as a hospice nurse case manager Grand Haven Tribune; by Emmanuel Hospice; 11/19/25 Throughout her career, Brittany Rickert has explored nursing jobs in various settings but keeps getting drawn back to hospice. For her, there's little out there that offers such a unique and rewarding experience. "There are landmarks throughout our lives and death is one of them," says Rickert, a nurse of 15 years. "It is very special to be allowed into that sacred space with patients and their loved ones, to support them through such a pivotal portion of their life." ... She defines her position as the "coordinator of the patient experience altogether," working alongside an interdisciplinary team to bring supportive services directly to patients, wherever they call home.

Empathy is the strongest form of leadership: Kyle Godhard Cleveland.com; by guest columnist Kyle Godhard, VP of Human Resources at Hospice of the Western Reserve; 11/16/25 ... In hospice care, that compassion runs especially deep. Staff walk alongside patients and families in their final days, often carrying emotional weight long after each goodbye.  In such a setting, leadership must offer more than direction; it must offer empathy. At Hospice of the Western Reserve, we believe compassionate leadership is not only kind, but also strategic. And it may be the most important investment any healthcare organization can make. ... Compassionate leadership doesn’t replace high expectations. It strengthens them. It builds teams that trust one another, stay committed and show up fully for patients and families. 

AI increasingly responsible for job cuts: Report Becker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 11/7/25 AI has been the sixth most-cited reason for U.S. job cuts so far in 2025, but the No. 2 cause of layoffs in October, Challenger, Gray & Christmas found. The technology has been responsible for 48,414 staff reductions this year, including 31,039 in October alone, according to the executive outplacement firm’s Nov. 6 report. ... The 153,074 layoffs in October mark the highest total since October 2003, when widespread cellphone adoption altered the telecommunications sector. 

A legacy of compassion: estate gift supports hospice care The County, Presque Ilse, ME; 11/5/25The Aroostook Hospice Foundation is deeply honored to announce a $20,000 estate gift from the late Ricky Kenney, who passed at the Aroostook House of Comfort on May 14. Kenney experienced the compassionate care of the Aroostook House of Comfort firsthand, both through his loved ones and during his own hospice journey. ... In recognition of the devoted care Kenney received by Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, both at home and within the hospice home, a portion of his generous gift was used to dedicate the staff break room. This space offers hospice staff and volunteers a quiet place to rest, recharge and regroup between moments of profound service.