Literature Review

A death doula keeps legacies alive in rural OregonJefferson Public Radio, by Justin HIgginbottom; 3/13/24 print and audioRudd is an end-of-life doula, sometimes called a death doula, specializing in rural care. In that role she provides non-medical support to those in their last stage of life. ... She helps with practical things like funeral arrangements, helping someone donate their body, or planning for what happens to their property after death. She’s been helping one 83-year-old client with that recently. 

Spiritual care key to addressing disparities among underserved black communities Hospice News, by Holly Vossel; 3/11/24Spiritual hospice care providers are an important link to building bridges of access and trust among underserved African American populations. ... Having a historical context of understanding around the faith-based barriers among African American populations is a significant part of improving utilization, according to Wayman Scott, associate director of diversity, equity, inclusion and community relations at Maryland-based Gilchrist. Scott also has a background in hospice chaplaincy and serves as chair of the diversity committee at the Hospice & Palliative Network of Maryland.

When health care is woven in our family fabric, we find support in unexpected places Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Voice, by Suzanne M. Mahon, DNS, RN, AOCN®, AGN-BC, FAAN; 3/7/24... We have a built-in support system in our family. We understand all of those feelings and stressors in each other. We just get it. ... Where is your dinner table of support? Who is your go-to person who just gets it and listens? My husband and daughters support me, and I also have friends from nursing school, the workplace, and ONS who support me. They make all the difference in the world. Today, take time to thank your own support team.

10 urgent patient safety challenges in 2024 Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Ashleigh Hollowell; 3/11/24While employment for new clinicians was positive in the last year with 96% of new nurses finding work, the issue is transitioning those clinicians from education into bedside and hospital practice, which is the most pressing safety challenge of 2024, according to the ECRI's annual report on patient safety. ... Here are the 10 most urgent patient safety challenges facing providers in 2024 ...

Compass Park chosen as hospice training site Daily Journal, by Ryan Trares; 3/8/24Compass Park has been chosen to be a hospice training site for Affinity Care of Indiana, which partners with the facility to provide hospice care. Those pursuing work in hospice will come to the Franklin campus to observe the compassion provided to patients and families experiencing an end-of-life journey. “In this place, we want our future hospice nurses and aides to experience the legacy that resides here at Compass Park, a legacy for all health care professionals who have the privilege of working within these walls,” said John Young, executive director of Affinity Care.

Scary ‘state’: Two-thirds of nursing home operators fear closure without staffing relief McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Josh Henreckson; 3/6/24Of nearly 450 nursing home providers surveyed, two-thirds are concerned that escalating workforce challenges may force them to close their facility. More than 70% of nursing homes reported staffing levels lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic, with fully 99% saying they are hiring for open positions.

Health systems invest in productivity Becker's Hospital Review, by Laura Dyrda; 3/6/24 Productivity is a buzzword for most workplaces today, and healthcare is no different. U.S. productivity measures showed big increases for the first time in years, according to a report in The New York Times, as organizations leverage artificial intelligence and aim to do more with less. For [health systems], many experiencing staffing shortages and tight margins, developing a culture of increased productivity is imperative. 

Workforce trends CFOs must knowBecker's Hospital CFO Report, by Alan Condon; 3/6/24The labor market pendulum is beginning to swing back in the favor of employers, but staffing shortages and controlling workforce costs are expected to continue to be a challenge for finance leaders for the foreseeable future. ... Here are eight trending workforce terms leaders should know in 2024, according to cfo.com:

Home care nurse strike ends without deal Northwest Labor Press, by Mallory Gruben; 3/1/24Usually, PeaceHealth jointly bargains with the home health unit and a unit of about 1,500 hospital nurses, and all nurses are paid the same. But for this round of negotiations, PeaceHealth demanded that bargaining happen separately. Hospital nurses reached an agreement in August that raises wages 20.5% over four years. PeaceHealth’s latest offer to the home health nurses is a 14.75% raise over four years. [Erin] Grace [a nurse,] says without an equal contract for equal work, PeaceHealth will have difficulty attracting and retaining home care nurses. According to ONA, the unit has already lost a quarter of its members, and more say they plan to leave if a contract isn’t reached soon. 

Congress floats Medicare physician pay bump: 4 notes Becker's Hospital CFO Report, by Mackenzie Bean; 3/4/24 Physicians are set to receive a 1.7% increase in Medicare pay effective March 9 as part of a $460 billion spending package congressional leaders released this weekend. Four things to know: ... [click on the title's link for more]

APRNs, home health / personal care aides top healthcare careers in 2024 McKnights Senior Living, by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 2/28/24Advanced practice registered nurses and home health and personal care aides lead the list of top healthcare careers in 2024, according to a study from digital healthcare platform Tebra. The researchers compared 46 healthcare industry jobs by median pay, 10-year outlook and expected job growth, employment per 10,000 workers and web search volume, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau. ... Among all healthcare occupations included in the study, ones in home care had the highest employment rate. 

Untangling the history, causes behind the precipitous home health aide utilization drop Home Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 2/28/24In the last home health proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency in charge of reimbursement rates sent out a request for information on home health aide utilization. Specifically, the agency wondered why Medicare-covered home health aide visits and utilization had fallen off a cliff over the last few decades. According to the Center for Medicare Advocacy, home health aide visits declined by 90% from 1998 to 2019. 

House set to vote on bill that could give dramatic boost to nurse-aide training efforts McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Josh Henreckson; 2/28/24 A bill that could reshape how new workers enter the long-term care workforce is scheduled for a vote in the US House of Representatives this week, according to a spokesperson for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). If passed, HR 6585 — referred to as the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act — would make work training programs of as short as eight weeks with a minimum of 150 hours of training eligible for the federal aid through the Pell Grant program. Previously, grants were available only to programs with a minimum of 15 weeks and 600 hours of training.