Literature Review

All posts tagged with “Hospice Provider News | Operations News | Staffing.”



Hospital nurse turnover, vacancy rates by year

09/26/24 at 03:00 AM

Hospital nurse turnover, vacancy rates by year Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Mackenzie Bean; 9/24/24 Nurse turnover and vacancy rates have declined since their pandemic-era peaks but remain elevated, according to data from the "2024 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report." The report, released in April, includes survey findings from 400 hospitals in 36 states on registered nurse turnover, retention, vacancy rates, recruitment metrics and staffing strategies. Survey data covers more than 194,000 nurses and was collected in 2023. ... Below are the average rates of registered nurse turnover and vacancy in hospitals between 2019 and 2024, according to the report. The data suggests hospitals have made progress in reducing nurse turnover and vacancy rates since their peak during the pandemic. However, sustained efforts to stabilize the workforce, improve working conditions and address burnout are needed to fully recover.

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Pay cuts, layoffs hit the C-suite

09/26/24 at 02:50 AM

Pay cuts, layoffs hit the C-suite Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Alan Condon; 9/25/24 Health systems are increasingly trimming executive positions and pay to stabilize their financial footing amid rising operational costs, workforce shortages and inflationary pressures. Springfield, Mass.-based Baystate Health will see three top leaders depart, effective Oct. 23, including Chief Quality Officer Doug Salvador, MD, Chief Information and Digital Officer Kevin Conway and Chief Human Resources Officer Kristin Morales-Lemieux. ... Similarly, Providence, R.I.-based Lifespan has cut 20% of its executive roles as part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at reducing overhead costs and directing more resources to patient care. The restructuring has led to the departure of key figures, including Crista Durand, who served as president of Newport (R.I.) Hospital since 2014. ... Corvallis, Ore.-based Samaritan Health Services recently laid off 1% of its workforce and temporarily reduced executive pay to counteract financial losses. ... For hospital executives across the country, these cuts serve as a stark reminder that restructuring may be inevitable to maintain operational viability. As the healthcare landscape evolves, systems will continue to seek ways to reduce overhead, streamline decision-making, and focus on financial sustainability.

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10 fastest growing C-suite roles

09/25/24 at 03:00 AM

10 fastest growing C-suite roles Becker's Hospital Review - Leadership & Management; by Kristin Kuchno; 9/23/24 Organizations in the U.S. are expanding their C-suite with technology- and human-focused executive roles. LinkedIn analyzed the fastest growing C-suite roles from 2022 to 2023 using member profile information, ... Here are the top 10 fastest growing roles LinkedIn found [from #1 highest to #10]: 1. Chief data officer; 2. Chief legal officer; 3. Chief human resources officer; 4. Chief product officer; 5. CEO; 6. Chief technology officer; 7. Chief commercial officer; 8. Chief information security officer; 9. Chief people officer; 10. Chief marketing officer.

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Why hospital-at-home, other providers are pressing worker safety

09/25/24 at 03:00 AM

Why hospital-at-home, other providers are pressing worker safety Modern Healthcare; by Diane Eastabrook; 9/24/24 At-home care providers are testing strategies to better protect workers who are raising the alarm on workplace safety. A new survey of more than 400 home healthcare workers found more than half said they experienced or witnessed at least one act of violence or harassment in the workplace, according to Transcend Strategy Group, which conducted the poll on behalf of home care providers. The report, which echoes similar findings from a National Nurses United survey, comes as hospital-at-home programs expand and more care moves to where patients live. ... Home-based care providers are trying to address the issue because concerns about personal safety could make it harder to recruit and retain workers in a competitive job market. The concerns are also coming up in contract negotiations between unions and providers.

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63 Hispanic and Latino leaders to know | 2024

09/25/24 at 03:00 AM

63 Hispanic and Latino leaders to know | 2024 Becker's Hospital Review; by Anna Falvey; 9/20/24 Becker's is thrilled to honor these Hispanic and Latino healthcare leaders. Diverse leadership in healthcare culminates in a more comprehensive, seamless experience for both patients and providers alike. The leaders honored in this list are transforming the patient journey, ushering in the new wave of healthcare providers and promoting DEI. ... Becker's Healthcare developed this list based on nominations and editorial research. Leaders do not pay and cannot pay for inclusion on this list. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of the leaders or organizations mentioned. Editor's note: Reminder that the National Hispanic Heritage Month is September 15 to October 15. Are you recognizing your Hispanic employees and volunteers? Click here for CMS resources. 

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Nurse workplace violence reporting increased 1,080% with new tool

09/24/24 at 03:00 AM

Nurse workplace violence reporting increased 1,080% with new tool Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Mariah Taylor; 9/19/24 Making it easier to report workplace violence with quick-scan codes on walls and badges increased reporting by 1,080% in two months, according to a new study. ... When surveyed, nurses said they did not report workplace violence incidents for the following reasons: "nothing will change" (24%), "event was not severe enough" (21%), "part of the job" (15%), "electronic reporting system is time-consuming/complicated" (9%), "lack of time" (6%), "don’t know how" (3%) and "lack of leadership support" (3%). In addition, more than half of respondents said they disclosed the event to the charge nurse when they did not formally report it.  To overcome these barriers, researchers created a tool that allows nurses to scan a quick-response code with their phones. Codes were located on wall flyers and name badge stickers. Two months after implementation, the tool recorded 94 quick response code scans and 59 workplace violence reports, a 1,080% increase in violence reports compared to the two previous months.

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Gentiva leaning into staff development, advanced illness management business

09/24/24 at 03:00 AM

Gentiva leaning into staff development, advanced illness management business Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 9/23/24 Gentiva in 2024 and 2025 is laser-focused on staff retention and building out its palliative care platform Empatia. ... Gentiva, among other initiatives, is investing in staff education to help develop clearer career paths, stave off burnout and boost retention, according to Chief Clinical Officer Jacqueline Lopez-Devine. “Education is very, very important to the concept of staff retention — taking newer staff that walk into the industry. We have thoughtful training programs that teach them even the concept of work-life balance, professional balance,” Lopez-Devine told Hospice News. “It’s really important that, as organizations, we teach our team members those concepts of joy in work, taking care of self and professional boundaries. That’s what’s going to make us different in some of these other health care industries that maybe don’t take the time.” ... Gentiva is a portfolio company of the private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CDR). The Atlanta-based provider emerged from the former hospice and personal care segments of Kindred at Home. CDR in 2022 purchased a 60% stake from the insurance mammoth Humana, Inc., for $2.8 billion. The firm later rebranded the hospice provider as Gentiva.

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New data explores trust gap between execs and employees

09/23/24 at 02:45 AM

New data explores trust gap between execs and employees HR Daily Advisor; by Lin Grensing-Pophal; 9/19/24Creating a harmonious workplace where trust flourishes between employers and employees is crucial for aligning incentives and driving employee engagement. Unfortunately, that trust is often hard to find in the business world. ... Consider, for example, these data points from the PwC survey:

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How healthcare leaders view Gen Z in the workforce

09/20/24 at 03:00 AM

How healthcare leaders view Gen Z in the workforce Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 9/18/24As more members of Generation Z move into the workforce, some have clashed with management or disagree with how their employees view them. The group, born between 1997 and 2012, has been described as both tech-savvy and overly reliant on technology. Some human resources professionals have said they lack work ethic and time management skills. The early-career employees themselves have said they find enjoyment in full-time work and value career growth and planning. Here are three healthcare leaders' perceptions of Gen Z in the workforce.

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Suffering revisited: Tenets of intensive caring

09/20/24 at 03:00 AM

Suffering revisited: Tenets of intensive caring Psychiatric Times; by Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhD, FRCPC Patients approaching death experience many losses, including losing a sense of self. This is perhaps one of the most substantive existential challenges dying patients face, as they find the essence of who they are—along with who they were or who they want to be—under assault. This notion of disintegration or fractured sense of personhood often lies at the heart of human suffering, which Eric Cassell, MD, MACP, defined as a person’s severe distress at a threat to their personal integrity. Although suffering can often lead to feelings of hopelessness and therapeutic nihilism for patients and health care professionals, it is important for those of us who care for the dying to understand the nature of suffering and how to be most responsive and therapeutically effective. [This author's Tenets of Intensive Caring include the following:]

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Hiring manager fired for refusing to post 'ghost jobs' is now sharing how to recognize them

09/20/24 at 03:00 AM

Hiring manager fired for refusing to post 'ghost jobs' is now sharing how to recognize them Upworthy; by Jacalyn Wetzel; 9/18/24 There doesn't seem to be a shortage in job openings but there does seem to be an abundance of people looking for work for months without finding gainful employment. According to Ceros Whaley, a former hiring manager at an unnamed company, the problem is that unsuspecting hopeful employees are unknowingly applying for "ghost jobs." Whaley shares that part of his job as a hiring manager was to create "ghost jobs," which are simply fake job listings. He explains that these job listings were not created to find more qualified people to fill positions but to "encourage" current employees to improve their performance. Whaley says that he got into a little bit of a kerfuffle with his higher manager over the company continuing the ghost job ruse. By the time the man reached his tolerance level for posting fake jobs, he had already posted over 300 ghost jobs on sites like Indeed, Monster and other hiring sites. But Whaley shares that he found his morals and just couldn't continue the practice. ... [The] frustrated former employee … did a follow up video sharing how to spot ghost jobs and how to avoid them while you're job hunting. [Click on the title’s link to view.] 

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How Gen Z is being courted by post-acute providers

09/20/24 at 03:00 AM

How Gen Z is being courted by post-acute providers Modern Healthcare; by Diane Eastabrook; 9/18/24 Some post-acute care companies are revamping their recruitment playbooks to attract Generation Z workers as they battle for talent with other healthcare companies. Providers such as Good Samaritan Society, Bayada Home Health Care and Right at Home are developing strategies to recruit the demographic, which ranges in age from 12 to 27 and makes up a quarter of the U.S. population. Those organizations want to hire Gen Z because they are purpose-driven and adept at using technology, according to a 2023 study by financial services company Mercer. 

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Talk about death, but live your life: What people working in end-of-life care have learned

09/18/24 at 02:00 AM

Talk about death, but live your life: What people working in end-of-life care have learned Yahoo Life; by Elena Sheppard; 9/16/24 Eventually, we are all going to die. It’s a reality that most people are uncomfortable with and do everything they can to avoid thinking about. But for people who work in end-of-life care, such as hospice workers and death doulas, death is both a fact of the job and a part of their everyday reality. While the work may sound grim, those who do it say that their daily proximity to death doesn't cast a shadow over their lives; rather, it has enabled them to more purposefully celebrate life’s beauty. ... Yahoo Life spoke to hospice professionals to hear the life lessons they’ve learned by working so closely with death. Here’s what they said. ...

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Bayada, HomeWell leaders share strategies for recognizing and retaining office staff

09/17/24 at 03:00 AM

Bayada, HomeWell leaders share strategies for recognizing and retaining office staff Home Health Care News; by Audrie Martin; 9/13/24 Office staff have the highest client satisfaction scores among home health care provider employees. They also have the lowest administrative salaries. These salaries can impact job satisfaction and cause employees to seek employment elsewhere, according to the 2024 Activated Insights Benchmarking Report. Some organizations are turning to recognition to combat this trend. “Employee recognition is no longer a ‘nice to do,’” Michelle Cone, senior vice president of training and brand programs at HomeWell Care Services, told Home Health Care News. “Recognizing employees should be considered table stakes in this post-pandemic landscape. With a focus on employee retention, engagement, and overall satisfaction and its direct correlation to top-quality care, recognition to support retention and drive satisfaction is vital.” ... [Jeff Knapp, Chief People Officer of Bayada told HHCN,] “For office staff, excellence awards are one favorite. Employees are nominated and selected yearly and celebrated at our annual gathering. Categories include clinical leadership, client services leadership and enterprise support. We also give years of service awards to recognize employee loyalty and commitment.”

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The 9 college majors that lead to the most fulfilling careers ... [Music therapy]

09/17/24 at 03:00 AM

The 9 college majors that lead to the most fulfilling careers ... NBC 7 San Diego, CA; by Kamaron McNair; 9/14/24 If you want your degree to help you land a fulfilling job, consider studying music therapy. The medical and therapeutic fields are among the college majors helping graduates get jobs that make the world a better place, according to graduates surveyed in a recent Payscale report.24/7 San Diego news stream: Watch NBC 7 free wherever you are Alumni with bachelor's degrees in music therapy are most likely to do this kind of fulfilling work, with 95% of degree-holders saying their work makes the world a better place, Payscale finds. Music therapy programs cover coursework in music, music therapy, science and psychology, according to the American Music Therapy Association. ... Music therapists may work in traditional settings, offering services to clients working through physical disabilities or mental health issues. People in hospice care, substance abuse programs and cancer treatment centers have also benefited from music therapist visits, according to the AMTA.Editor's note: Click here for facts and descriptions about "Music Therapy in Hospice Care," by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). To recruit a certified music therapist for hospice (or other setting), visit AMTA's Job Hotline.  

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‘We did it!’: West Penn nurses celebrate their new contract

09/16/24 at 03:00 AM

‘We did it!’: West Penn nurses celebrate their new contract Pittsburgh Union Press, Pittsburgh, PA; by Steve Mellon; 9/12/24 Before Joanne Germanos had a chance to approach a podium to make her announcement, someone in the crowd called out, “We did it!” ... What Germanos and her fellow union nurses at West Penn did was win a new contract that raises pay and addresses staffing and burnout issues that the nurses say have been pushing experienced nurses out of the profession. Ninety percent of the hospital’s union nurses voted to approve the contract Wednesday. Under the three-year deal, pay for nurses will rise an average of 24%, with some seeing increases as high as 35%. By contract’s end, all nurses will make at least $40 an hour; nurses with 20 years of experience will make at least $50 an hour. ... Pay, however, isn’t the only issue. At rallies, union nurses have called on hospital administrators to address staffing and scheduling problems that can affect patient care and cause nurse burnout. They took those concerns to the bargaining table and, on Thursday, said they were thrilled with the outcome.

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Bayada Home Health Care settled nurses’ wages class action lawsuit for $13.5 million

09/16/24 at 03:00 AM

Bayada Home Health Care settled nurses’ wages class action lawsuit for $13.5 million Head Topics - Daily Botique; 9/13/24 The settlement, if approved by a judge, will cover nearly 11,000 Bayada nurses in Pennsylvania. Bayada Home Health Care Inc., one of the nation’s largest home care providers, agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit in Philadelphia alleging the company failed to pay nurses for time spent updating the incoming nurse or caregiver on a patient’s condition and for time spent in mandatory training sessions the $13.5 million Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas settlement.Editor's note: Additional information is behind a paywall at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Innovative program reduces nurse turnover and fosters development

09/13/24 at 03:00 AM

Innovative program reduces nurse turnover and fosters development Oncology Nursing News; by Heather Wood, RN, OCN and Marie Garcia, RN, OCN; 9/12/24 Cancer incidence is on the rise in the US, especially among the growing older population. ... Unfortunately, the current shortage of oncology nurses is expected to worsen, as fewer people enter the profession while aging nurses retire. By 2025, a shortage of 200,000 to 450,000 oncology nurses is predicted in the US. ... In response, The US Oncology Network (The Network) has developed one of the most comprehensive programs in the nation to support the professional development and retention of new oncology nurses. ... Designed to enhance their knowledge of fundamental oncology, OCEAN is a collaborative effort bringing together a multidisciplinary team of experts and speakers from across The Network. The program provides fundamental oncology knowledge around 12 core areas delivered over 22.5 hours of live virtual learning. Content ranges from ... various treatment modalities ... to palliative care and advanced care planning. OCEAN’s impact extends beyond skill development, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose among participating nurses. ... Early results from the program are promising, such as increased retention rates [12% better than the national average] and cost savings. 

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Mental health jobs to grow 3X more than the rate of all US jobs

09/11/24 at 03:00 AM

Mental health jobs to grow 3X more than the rate of all US jobs Becker's Hospital Review; by Erica Carbajal; 9/9/24 By 2033, employment growth in mental health professions is expected to triple that of average job growth in the U.S., according to a CNN analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the median projected employment growth for all occupations across the next decade is 4%, the rate for mental health-related jobs is 12%. This includes psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, counselors, psychiatric aids and social workers, according to CNN's report published Sept. 7. Editor's note: Too often, mental health health jobs in hospice and palliative care are relegated to low status on priorities for staffing, instead of the regulatory high priority for "whole-person" care defined throughout the CMS Hospice Conditions of Participation. As significant changes continue to unfold for hospice and palliative services, we will continue to report trends and shifts that emerge in the healthcare landscape for mental health jobs.  

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2024 NHPCO Facts and Figures Report now available

09/11/24 at 03:00 AM

2024 NHPCO Facts and Figures Report now available National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 9/10/242022 Data Show First Increase in Hospice Utilization Rates Since COVID The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) published the 2024 edition of National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) Facts and Figures, an annual report on key data points related to the delivery of hospice care, including information on patient characteristics, location and level of care, Medicare hospice spending, and hospice providers. Facts and Figures – the leading resource for hospice providers and others interested in understanding the work of the community – has been published annually for over two decades by NHPCO. ... The findings in this report reflect patients who received care in Calendar Year (CY) 2022, or Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, provided by hospices certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and reimbursed under the Medicare Hospice Benefit. This year COVID-19 continued to impact patient care as COVID-19 waivers were still in place through May 2023. These waivers included increased telehealth services. With 49.1% of all Medicare decedents in 2022 choosing hospice care, utilization of hospice increased in 2022 for the first time since 2019. The increase hints at a normalization of the utilization rates back to pre-COVID data. Hospice utilization rates increased across all race and ethnicity groups, with the largest increase among Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries seeing. The total number of beneficiaries enrolled in hospice care in 2022 was 1.72 million. Due to the unique impact of COVID-19 on 2020 data, those data are not included in many of the charts this year.

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One healthcare job poised for the greatest shortage

09/11/24 at 02:00 AM

One healthcare job poised for the greatest shortage Becker's Hospital Review; by Molly Gamble; 9/6/24 Nursing assistants face the greatest projected deficit over any other analyzed healthcare occupation, with a projected shortage of more than 73,000 assistants nationwide by 2028. The forecast comes from Mercer, which projects a nationwide shortage of more than 100,000 healthcare workers by 2028. The need for nursing assistants is expected to be greatest, with only 13 states expected to meet or exceed future demand. "The projected supply of nursing assistants — an occupation that constitutes 8% of the total US healthcare workforce and 40% of healthcare support occupations in 2023 — is discouraging," Mercer consultants wrote in their Aug. 29 report, "Future of the U.S. Healthcare Industry: Labor Market Projections by 2028."

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The changing role of chief privacy officers

09/10/24 at 03:00 AM

The changing role of chief privacy officers Becker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 9/6/24 Chief privacy officers are expanding their roles to take on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, according to the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Whereas chief privacy officers traditionally focused on being compliant with privacy laws, 69% now have responsibility for AI or data governance, 37% cover cybersecurity regulatory compliance, and 20% have platform liability duties, according to the IAPP survey of 671 professionals released Sept. 6. Some health systems have standalone chief privacy officers, but the hospital industry is more likely to have chief information security officers with privacy duties or a combined role. 

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Nursing students learning to respect culture, tradition at the end of life

09/10/24 at 03:00 AM

Nursing students learning to respect culture, tradition at the end of life St. Cloud Live, St. Joseph, MN; by Stephanie Dickrell; 9/6/24  It is called the golden hour — the hour before someone’s death. It’s a time of grief, but it’s also a sacred space. Two nursing instructors at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University are trying to make that time better for patients and their loved ones by better preparing their students who will be with them in their final moments. While the rituals surrounding death may vary by time, geography and culture, the program wants to make sure all cultures are respected. ... Julie Keller Dornbusch and Mary Pesch, both trained as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses ... received a prestigious grant from the Morgan Family Foundation of nearly $100,000 to create and test nursing simulations using culturally specific care for the Catholic community, Somali Muslims and Ojibwe people.Editor's note: This article indicates that "training material on culturally specific end-of-life care" is non-existent. This statement is misleading. Examine:

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Providence, hospice workers agree to resolve NLRB complaint

09/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Providence, hospice workers agree to resolve NLRB complaint Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 9/5/24 Renton, WA-based Providence and caregivers of Providence Hospice in Sonoma County, Calif., agreed to resolve allegations that workers were required to take on additional work and responsibilities without appropriate compensation. The agreement resolves allegations filed with the National Labor Relations Board in June 2023 by approximately 130 registered nurses, social workers and other staff at the hospice care provider, according to the National Union of Healthcare Workers. ... [Click here to read the terms.]  ... Both sides agreed the deal is a win for the caregivers and for hospice. "This agreement is good for us and for the families we serve because it means instead of racing in our cars from one family to another, our agency will have to staff appropriately so we can devote ourselves fully to our patients," Kristina Nauheimer, a nurse case manager at the hospice, said in the union release.

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Bittersweet bouquet: Hospice worker transforms her grief into a garden of memories

09/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Bittersweet bouquet: Hospice worker transforms her grief into a garden of memories ABC 13, Grand Rapids, MI; by Matt Gard; 9/5/24For the most part, Kaitlyn Dawson’s desk at the Emmanuel Hospice office is exactly what you’d expect it to be. On her left, she has office supplies, ... but it’s what’s on the wall over her left shoulder that really gives this workspace character. Inside three separate picture frames are hundreds of flowers. Kaitlyn was an art major at Grand Valley State University before she switched to social work, and she still has a passion for creativity. Every one of those flowers – whether red, purple or orange - was her creation. ... “These flowers represent patients that I have been able to be a part of their journey at end of life,” said Kaitlyn, who has worked in hospice for about four years. “I had one particular case that was really difficult, and I remember leaving that visit and thinking ‘I'm going to start doing this process in honor of her.’ And I went to the store and I bought pencils and a notebook and decided I was going to do flowers. It was easy. It was simple. It was something I could sit down and do in the evening, and if I lost a couple of people that day, I could draw a couple of flowers.” Before Kaitlyn knew it, she had a "bittersweet bouquet."

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