Literature Review

Man killed elderly parents, partner and himself in murder-suicide at SW Miami-Dade home NBC 6 South Florida; by Laura Rodriguez; 6/3/24A man shot and killed his elderly parents and partner before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide at a home in southwest Miami-Dade Sunday, police and family members said. According to police, [Jesus] Regueira [Jr.] shot and killed his parents, 83-year-old Jesus Regueira Sr. and 84-year-old Mercedes Morato, 61-year-old Kyrsten Stahre, who police identified as his girlfriend but family members said was his wife, before turning the gun on himself. ... The bodies were first discovered by family friend Joanna Cruz, whose mother was bringing food to Morato, who was under hospice care. ... “I think the problem was his mom had a severe stroke and she was in hospice and his mom was his life. Because someone had said that he wasn’t handling it well. The mom was there, but she had hospice coming in. His mom was his favorite person in the world. I don't know about the dad but I just know that’s probably what happened," Carol Miloch said. Editor's Note: Workplace violence in healthcare settings continues to rise, and to be a leading cause for nurse unionization and strikes.

LeadingAge: CMS on right track with high-acuity hospice RFIHospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/31/24 The senior care advocacy group LeadingAge has praised the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) inquiries into high-acuity palliative care, but expressed concern over reimbursement and staffing issues. The agency’s 2025 proposed hospice rule featured a series of requests for information (RFI) on issues like health equity, social determinants of health and future quality measures. The RFIs contain further questions about the utilization of higher-cost palliative treatments under the Medicare Hospice Benefit. The agency posed similar queries in its proposed rule for 2024. The new proposal seeks greater clarity on the financial risks and costs that providers say represent barriers to providing those services, such as palliative chemotherapy, radiation blood transfusions or dialysis, among others.

St. Vincent Hospital nurses and the MNA file fifth in series of complaints with state and federal agencies about dangerous patient care conditions that continue to compromise the care and safety of patients admitted to the Worcester-based facility Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA); 5/29/24 As patient care conditions continue to deteriorate at St. Vincent Hospital, the registered nurses and the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) have filed yet another round of complaints to state and federal agencies seeking immediate intervention to protect patients and staff, a situation so dire the complaints include a direct appeal to the Department of Public Health to assign onsite inspectors on a daily basis to ensure hospital administration is providing the resources needed to ensure the safety of all concerned. In fact, the nurses report that DPH has recently been at the hospital investigating yet another serious patient safety incident. Editor's Note: As reported in numerous articles in our newsletter, patient safety and workplace violence/safety issues continue to be key causes for healthcare professional resignations, unionizations, and strikes (ie., nurses and/or physicians). It's time to review your organization's patient safety and workplace violence Policies and Procedures, staff and volunteer trainings, caregiver resources to ensure patient safety in the home, topics like "Abuse and Neglect," and your community's data on workplace safety concerns and community response resources.

22 top hospitals and systems, 15K+ open jobs Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 5/24/24 Hospitals and health systems continue to grapple with workforce challenges, including recruiting top talent in a competitive environment. Below are the number of job openings at hospitals and health systems that are among those named to the U.S. News & World Report's 2023-24 Best Hospitals Honor Roll.  ... The numbers are from job boards as of May 24. [Click on the title's link for this list.]

Three ways to communicate with Gen-Z—and why it’s importantForbes; by Clarissa Windham-Bradstock; 5/28/24"It’s not what you said, it’s how you said it!" ... Gen-Z (born 1996-2015) is leading the charge on this one, according to a new Gallup survey. ... They want to hear full transparency. ... How to Speak Gen-Z: ...

Nurse charged with stealing pills while taking care of hospice patient Fox56; by Emily Cherkauskas; 5/22/24Pennsylvania State Police say a registered nurse stole hundreds of prescription pills while taking care of a hospice patient. According to Pennsylvania State Police, on Feb. 12, troopers were contacted by the director of operations at the Amedisys Home Health / Hospice Care. Troopers were told that Registered Nurse Ashley Laura Miller, 36, of Mohrsville, had become a suspect in the theft and diversion of Oxycodone and Ativan prescriptions. ... [Upon] the passing of the patient, an additional nurse noted that 200 Oxycodone and 30 Ativan pills were missing from the narcotics count. ... On Wednesday, May 22, Miller was arraigned with bail set at $5000.

21 hospitals, health systems raising workers' pay Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 5/20/24 The following hospitals and health systems have announced or shared plans for raising workers' pay this year. Note: This is not an exhaustive list. This webpage was last updated May 20. [Click on the title's link for the detailed list.]

Senate ramps up push to reform doctors' Medicare pay Modern Healthcare; by Michael Mcauliff; 5/20/24Declining doctors' pay in Medicare is getting its most serious look in nearly a decade in the Senate, with a bipartisan push launched Friday by the Senate Finance Committee. Doctors have grown especially vocal in recent years about falling Medicare reimbursement. Groups including the American Medical Association have estimated doctors were effectively getting paid 26% less in 2023 than in 2001 because the physician fee schedule set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is not adjusted for inflation. Physicians have also called for more flexibility within the pay system.

The top Affordable Care Act reporting mistakes we continue to see in 2024 HR Blog; by Eric Gregory; 5/13/24... There are a number of mistakes—some simple and some not-so-simple—that employers should avoid to prevent receiving a panic-inducing assessment letter from the IRS.

5 tips to support employees with unexpected illness or disability Forbes; by Diane Winiarski; 5/14/24 When employees experience an unexpected illness or a disabling condition, it can be traumatic for them and unsettling for their managers. It is important for employers to demonstrate support and an understanding of each situation. Another way to show support is by pointing them to the federal disability program created to help in this specific instance. ... These five suggestions can help managers be better equipped to support their team members who are dealing with illnesses, accidents or disabilities.

800+ California nurses to receive 22.5% pay hike Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 5/10/24Members of the California Nurses Association have approved a new labor contract with Washington Hospital Healthcare System in Fremont, Calif. The four-year agreement covers roughly 840 nurses, according to a union news release. It was approved by union members May 3 and by the Washington Township Health Care District board of directors May 8. ... According to the CNA, the new deal includes a 22.5% across-the-board increase in wages over four years. It also includes "precedent-setting standard expanding infectious disease protocols and workplace violence protections"; language that protects union members' ability to take meal and rest periods; and protections for part-time positions, according to the union.Editor's Note: These new terms reflect nationwide trends of healthcare/nurse strikes and reasons for leaving their jobs, ie., pay, patient safety, workplace violence, work/home life balance, and more.

Maryland becomes sixth state to require salary, wage disclosures in job listings McKnights Senior Living; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 5/10/24 Maryland soon will join five other states and the Washington, DC, in requiring employers to disclose salary or wage ranges upfront in job listings. Maryland’s requirement goes into effect Oct. 1. The states of California, Colorado, Hawaii, New York and Washington have similar laws in place, with the requirement expected to go into effect in the nation’s capital, on June 30. ... After a first violation, the employer will receive a warning. Fines for noncompliance range then will range from $300 for the second violation to $600 for subsequent violations. 

The state of paid sick leave: 6 notes Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 5/9/24 Paid sick leave has expanded across the U.S. as more states pass laws related to the issue. Here are six notes about the efforts: ... [Click on the title's link for details.]