Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Hospice Provider News | Operations News | Staffing.”
The Workforce Management Playbook: How Mercy is empowering nurses, saving premium labor costs + improving care
04/03/24 at 03:00 AMThe Workforce Management Playbook: How Mercy is empowering nurses, saving premium labor costs + improving care Becker's Hospital Review in collaboration with Trusted Health; 3/29/24 At Becker’s 11th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, in a session sponsored by Trusted Health, two leaders from Mercy (St. Louis) — Cheryl Matejka, CFO, and Betty Jo Rocchio, DNP, senior vice president and system chief nursing officer — discussed how the right workforce management platform can help organizations redesign their staffing models in tune with nurses’ evolving needs, while saving costs and improving operational efficiency. In Mercy’s presentation to over roughly 100 hospital executives there were three major themes.
What is an end-of-life doula?
04/02/24 at 03:25 AMWhat is an end-of-life doula? Psychology Today, by Cheralyn Leeby, PhD, LMFT; 3/31/24"The appellation ‘end-of-life doula’ (EOLD) is increasingly used as an umbrella term to identify lay people, primarily women, who provide a diversity of non-medical supports—social, emotional, practical, and spiritual—for people nearing the end of life, including those close to them" (Krawzik and Rush, 2020). The term doula is derived from the Greek word "doule," which means helper or maidservant. Families hire death coaches to facilitate, guide, and emotionally support the dying process.
As home care workers unionize, key questions come into play for providers
04/02/24 at 03:00 AMAs home care workers unionize, key questions come into play for providers Home Health Care News, by Andrew Donlan; 3/29/24 Generally, employers aren’t thrilled at the idea of their workforces unionizing. In home-based care, that’s particularly the case.
How’s Your Soul?
04/02/24 at 02:00 AMHow’s Your Soul? JAMA Network, by Daivd Vermette, MD, MBA, MHS; 3/28/24 "Brother David, how’s your soul?” The question took me by surprise. It was time for my first advisement meeting with my residency program director. In medicine, the machine runs on competence and achievement of “milestones.” Yet, as I braced for a meeting to trudge through performance evaluations and in-training exam scores, I awoke to humanity. ... Medical education has numerous models for coaching, advising, and mentoring. While these models helped develop my professional life, they missed the fundamental core of who I am: a human being. Perhaps instead we could embrace a model in medical education built on the tenets of pastoral care. ...
Why a Texas system hasn't hired a travel nurse in 30 years
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMWhy a Texas system hasn't hired a travel nurse in 30 years Becker's Hospital Review, by Kelly Gooch; 3/28/24 Beth Schmidt remembers the last time Fort Worth, Texas-based Cook Children's Health Care System hired a travel nurse, and it was not recently. ... Many hospitals and health systems increased their reliance on travel nurses during the pandemic to fill vacancies. However, a number of organizations are now making efforts to decrease their dependence for financial reasons. ... [This organization has had 15-20 years success with] the Winter Plan, a program ... [that] allows workers to temporarily become Cook Children's employees for four to six months to help augment the health system's nursing staff.
MultiCare healthcare workers in Spokane might go on strike
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMMultiCare healthcare workers in Spokane might go on strike NBC KHQ - NonStop Local, by Laura Erickson; 3/28/24Over 1,400 healthcare workers at MultiCare Deaconess and Valley Hospitals plan to strike for seven days beginning April 7, denouncing what they’re calling “bad faith bargaining” from institution executives in response to short staffing crises in their hospitals. The SEIU Healthcare 1199NW union consists of over 33,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington and Montana.
Death is inevitable. Doctors should be prepared to manage it appropriately.
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMDeath is inevitable. Doctors should be prepared to manage it appropriately. MedPageToday, by Gabrielle Kis Bromberg, MD; 3/28/24In preparation for my clinical year, my medical school instructors taught me about the importance of assessing the goals and wishes of patients at the end of life. ... [My Aunt] Daniella shared with my mom and me that she was tired of being so sick and tired of feeling stuck in the hospital's revolving door. So, I asked my aunt the questions I'd just learned in class. "What is most important to you?" "If you were sicker and could not share your own medical wishes, what would you want us to tell your doctors about your goals?" "Would you accept another ICU stay, CPR, a breathing tube?" My mom and I drove home with crystal clear instructions from Daniella. If she got sicker, she wanted to die without prolonged suffering. ... [Months later] Despite many doctors, hospitalizations, a years-long decline, and countless healthcare touch points, no one had asked Daniella how she was faring as her body failed. Why did it require a medical student -- me -- just 4 months into training, to achieve an end of life consistent with her wishes?
Connecticut Appellate Court rules employer could discharge medical marijuana user impaired on the job
03/29/24 at 03:15 AMConnecticut Appellate Court rules employer could discharge medical marijuana user impaired on the job The National Law Review; by John G. Stretton, Nicole S. Mulé, Zachary V. Zagger of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.; 3/27/24 On March 19, 2024, the Connecticut Appellate Court upheld an employer’s right to discharge an employee for being impaired on the job from medical marijuana under a state law that provides employment protections for qualified medical marijuana users.
Home care providers’ creative benefit packages are paying off
03/29/24 at 03:00 AMHome care providers’ creative benefit packages are paying off Home Health Care News, by Joyce Famakinwa; 3/26/24 ... Amid a persistently challenging labor market, home care companies are still constantly working on configuring the best possible employee benefits package for caregivers. Companies like Right at Home San Gabriel Valley, Devoted Guardians and Family Tree Private Care have emerged as standouts when it comes to crafting impressive benefits packages. ...
Bayada invests $375,000 to train future nurses in Pima County
03/29/24 at 03:00 AMBayada invests $375,000 to train future nurses in Pima County Bayada Communications, 3/26/24 Bayada Home Health Care, a nonprofit, global leader in home health care has granted $375,000 to fund nursing education for at least 15 students in Pima County. Tucson’s Bayada Skilled Nursing office ... is partnering with JobPath, a local nonprofit, to support students pursuing Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Nurse (RN) certifications in the greater Tucson area. The grant to JobPath ... will help cover program tuition, books, and other expenses to support those who might otherwise not be able to afford nursing education.
20 states facing acute nursing shortages
03/29/24 at 03:00 AM20 states facing acute nursing shortages Becker's Hospital Review, by Kelly Gooch; 3/25/24 ... On March 1, Medical Solutions, a healthcare staffing company, released the 20 states where nurses are needed the most based on the most current nurse-to-state population ratios and projected need by 2030. Ratios in the report were from Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics data published in NurseJournal. Projected need by 2030 is from Projections Central, a site sponsored by the Labor Department. Here are the 20 states where nurses are needed the most, per the Medical Solutions article: ...
Home care unionization efforts beginning to tick back up
03/29/24 at 03:00 AMHome care unionization efforts beginning to tick back up Home Health Care News, by Andrew Donlan; 3/25/24 The home care workforce has traditionally been a tough one to organize. But efforts have ramped up over recent years, leading to more workers opting into unions across the country. Recently, University of Rochester Medicine Home Care (URMHC) workers “overwhelmingly” chose to join a labor union. They aligned themselves with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, which is one of the largest health care worker unions in the country.
New Orleans nurses rally before union contract negotiations
03/28/24 at 03:00 AMNew Orleans nurses rally before union contract negotiations Healthcare Journal of New Orleans; 3/26/24Nurses rallied on March 25 at University Medical Center (UMC) in New Orleans as they began negotiations on their first union contract with LCMC Health, the hospital’s management. Nurses at UMC made history in December when they overwhelmingly voted to join National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), becoming the first unionized private-sector hospital in the state of Louisiana and members of the largest nurse’s union in the United States.
Social Work Awareness Month: A spotlight of AOSW
03/28/24 at 03:00 AMSocial Work Awareness Month: A spotlight of AOSW Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC); ACCBuzz Interview with Michael L. Grignon, AOSW President; 3/26/24AOSW is the world’s largest professional organization entirely dedicated to the psychosocial care of people affected by cancer. ... In recognition of March as Social Work Month, ACCCBuzz spoke with AOSW president Michael L. Grignon, LMSW, CCM, MBA, about the importance of oncology social workers, and his vision for the Association during his tenure. ... Why is recognizing Social Work Month important? ...
Nurse arrested after morphine, other stolen medical drugs seized in Owensboro
03/28/24 at 03:00 AMNurse arrested after morphine, other stolen medical drugs seized in Owensboro14 News WFIE, by Aaron Chatman; 3/26/24 Eight suspects were arrested and facing numerous charges after a massive drug bust in Owensboro. That’s according to the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, who says they opened an investigation after receiving dozens of tips about a drug trafficking operation at the home of Pamela Bartimus. Deputies say Bartimus was an employee of Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Kentucky and had been stealing medication at her job.
Alzheimer’s deaths expected to grow and industry not prepared with workers, report shows
03/28/24 at 02:00 AMAlzheimer’s deaths expected to grow and industry not prepared with workers, report show Journal-News, by Samantha Wildow; 3/26/24The number of Alzheimer’s deaths in the U.S. more than doubled between 2000 and 2021, the Alzheimer’s Association says in its latest report, which details how about half of health care workers say their industry is not fully equipped to handle the growing population of people with dementia. ... Multiple factors play into why deaths to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are increasing, including how the health care system is getting better at treating other things like heart disease and cancer, one local doctor said.
How CoxHealth flattened nurse turnover
03/27/24 at 03:00 AMHow CoxHealth flattened nurse turnover Becker's Health IT, by Naomi Diaz; 3/22/24 CoxHealth was able to reduce its turnover rate from around 25% to around 11%, which is more than a 50% decrease after its virtual nursing program was able to bring back the passion for its staff members. The Springfield, MO-based health system started its virtual nursing program after it was facing reduced staffing levels after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full-time Las Vegas hospice employees working 32-hours a week. How does the nation compare?
03/27/24 at 03:00 AMFull-time Las Vegas hospice employees working 32-hours a week. How does the nation compare? Fox 5 KVVU-TV, by Miles Friess and Nkiruka Azuka; 3/25/24Working four days a week, but getting paid for five. ... “This is a true four day work week,” said Owen Lawrie, one of the owners of Uplift Hospice.” It’s four [eight hour days], not four [ten hour days]. So it really is an extra 52 days off a year.” Uplift Hospice is a company that provides at-home hospice care. He says the schedule is not only beneficial to employees, but to their patients as well. “Because they are so appreciative of that extra day, the teamwork’s even better and then the quality of care just continues to be excellent,” he said.
Nurse managers' 4-day workweeks: How it's going at Mount Sinai
03/26/24 at 03:00 AMNurse managers' 4-day workweeks: How it's going at Mount Sinai Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Mariah Taylor; updated 3/22/24In fall 2022, New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System launched its four-day workweek program for nurse managers. More than a year later, the program continues to improve staff engagement, satisfaction and has become an important retention strategy, Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, chief nurse executive for the system, told Becker's. Dr. Oliver added, experienced nurse managers play a critically vital role in supporting staff retention and engagement, championing organizational culture, and ensuring quality and safety of patient care.
15 top health system workplaces, per USA Today
03/26/24 at 03:00 AM15 top health system workplaces, per USA Today Becker's Hospital Review, by Giles Bruce; 3/21/24 Fifteen health systems were named top workplaces in the U.S. by USA Today and human resources technology company Energage. Released March 20, the Top Workplaces USA 2024 list was determined using Energage's confidential employee engagement surveys and participating company benchmarks that take into account years of workplace culture research. [Click on the title's link to view these 15 health systems]Editor's Note: Each of these health systems has a hospice and/or palliative program. We honor your commitments and innovations to ensure "top workplace cultures" for your employees.
Nominate an influential clinical executive today
03/26/24 at 03:00 AMNominate an influential clinical executive todayModern Healthcare; 3/20/24 Modern Healthcare is seeking nominations through April 15 for our annual 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives awards. The recognition program recognizes clinical leaders across the industry who are paving the way to better health through their executive responsibilities, leadership qualities, innovative ideas, community service and achievements inside and outside of their organizations. Nominations are open.
How the healthcare sector is handling cybersecurity training
03/25/24 at 03:00 AMHow the healthcare sector is handling cybersecurity trainingModern Healthcare, by Mari Devereaux; 3/21/24... Healthcare entities should use the Change Healthcare incident as a lesson on how to strengthen their own cybersecurity and an opportunity to have conversations about third-party risk, contingency planning and vendor backups, said John Riggi, national adviser for cybersecurity and risk at the American Hospital Association. ... Both executives and lower-level staff need to be trained on how to spot a potential social engineering attack, best practices around cyber hygiene, and how to enact downtime procedures in the event that third party services are lost for up to 30 days or longer, Riggi said.
AI scribe saves doctors an hour at the keyboard every day
03/25/24 at 03:00 AMAI scribe saves doctors an hour at the keyboard every dayAMA, by Andis Robeznieks; 3/18/24 When a health system rolls out new technology that it insists will make physicians’ lives easier, the announcement is typically met with skepticism. But the use of augmented intelligence (AI)—often called artificial intelligence—has changed that. The Permanente Medical Group’s rollout of ambient AI scribes to reduce documentation burdens has been deemed a success, saving most of the physicians using it an average of one hour a day at the keyboard. ... Refinement of the tool, however, is ongoing. ... For example, one physician mentioned scheduling a patient’s prostate exam, but the AI scribe recorded that the exam had been performed.
Thank a social worker this month
03/25/24 at 03:00 AMThank a social worker this month The Alpena News; 3/22/24 March is National Social Worker Month, and we encourage anyone who knows a social worker to take the opportunity to thank him or her for all they do. ... There are more than 700,000 social workers across the U.S., more than 30,000 of them in Michigan, working in all kinds of fields, from child advocacy and protection to behavioral health to hospitals and hospice. “Our mission is to help the vulnerable,” Karen Wagner, a social worker with Hospice of Michigan’s Alpena team, told News staff writer Mike Gonzalez for a recent story.
8 likely next in-demand nursing roles, per Tampa General's chief nurse
03/25/24 at 02:15 AM8 likely next in-demand nursing roles, per Tampa General's chief nurse Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Laura Dyrda; 3/15/24 ... "In the next two to three years, the nursing team may require new roles and skills to adapt to the changing healthcare landscape," said Wendi Goodson-Celerin, DNP, APRN, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. Dr. Goodson-Celerin outlined potential roles and skills that may be in demand over the next two to three years: