Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Palliative Care Provider News | Operations News | Staffing.”
Improved onboarding process could boost worker retention
04/09/24 at 02:00 AMImproved onboarding process could boost worker retentionMcKnights Senior Living, by Kathleen Steel Gaivin; 4/8/24As long-term care providers navigate post-pandemic workforce challenges, they also need to improve the onboarding process, according to the results of a new survey by Viventium. ... The study detailed in the company’s 2024 Caregiver Onboarding Experience Report solicited responses from 175 administrators and caregivers in skilled nursing, assisted living, independent living, home health, home care and hospice care in November and December. The survey, Viventium said, found a “shockingly low bar for what passes as a ‘good’ onboarding experience, with strong indications that raising that bar could correlate to higher retention rates.”Editor's Note: See the article in today's newsletter, "A day in the life: Hospice nurse" for the importance of onboarding hospice nurses to to differences between long-term care and hospice care.
Jamestown Regional Medical Center employees give over $36K to medical center’s mission
04/08/24 at 03:00 AMJamestown Regional Medical Center employees give over $36K to medical center’s mission The Jamestown Sun; 4/4/24 Jamestown Regional Medical Center employees came together this year to raise over $36,000 through the annual Employee Giving Campaign. The funds raised go directly to the JRMC Foundation, which benefits the community through new equipment, staff training and patient comfort items. onations support cancer care, hospice, equipment and technology, infant loss and bereavement, Family BirthPlace, the Employee Support Fund, Kala's Korner and the Greater JRMC Fund ...
Optimizing RN responsibilities ‘more essential’ than staffing hours: study
04/08/24 at 03:00 AMOptimizing RN responsibilities ‘more essential’ than staffing hours: study McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Josh Henreckson; 4/2/24 ... [New] analysis suggests that optimizing the role of registered nurses would be an even more effective way of increasing quality of care. Care quality would strongly benefit from an industry-wide focus on the responsibilities of RNs, the study’s authors said. Specifically, leaders should more actively differentiate RNs from licensed practical nurses, use a nursing practice model framework to maximize the role of RNs and provide RNs with more education in leadership and geriatric care.
Major unions, including SEIU, maintain momentum following 2023 strike upswing
04/08/24 at 03:00 AMMajor unions, including SEIU, maintain momentum following 2023 strike upswing McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Josh Henreckson; 4/5/24 New analysis of US Department of Labor data shows that large unions such as the SEIU were able to leverage heightened labor activity to recruit new workers in 2023. In a year characterized by headline-grabbing strikes across multiple industries, the long-term care sector has not been without its share of labor activity — such as recent strikes organized by the SEIU to demand higher wages. With so many providers’ staffing and funding woes poised to remain at the forefront of sector concerns, some experts suggest that unions may be able to gain even more momentum in the months and years ahead.
Chicago area nurse gets 2 years in prison for stealing morphine from sick patients
04/08/24 at 03:00 AMChicago area nurse gets 2 years in prison for stealing morphine from sick patientsCBS News TV 2, Chicago; by Acacia Hernandez; 4/4/24A northwest suburban nurse was sentenced in court on Thursday to two years in federal prison for stealing morphine from her patients, some of whom were terminally ill. Sarah Diamond, 31, of Woodstock, was accused of targeting the most vulnerable, including hospice patients living out their final days. In 2021, she removed liquid morphine from bottles that had been prescribed to at least five hospice patients and replaced it with saline. Prosecutors said she took the medication for her own personal use.
The operational advantages of hiring seniors to provide home care
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMThe operational advantages of hiring seniors to provide home care Home Health Care News, by Joyce Famakinwa; 4/1/24Seniors Helping Seniors has long distinguished itself from other home care companies by hiring active seniors to serve as caregivers. Josh Obeiter — an owner of one of the company’s franchise locations — has seen even more added value from this strategy as the industry at large combats labor shortages. At Seniors Helping Seniors, the average age of an employee is around 70 years old, and 80% of caregivers are in their 60s and 70s, according to Obeiter.
RNs are moving away from home health and hospice, federal survey reveals
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMRNs are moving away from home health and hospice, federal survey reveals McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 4/2/24 Though the number of registered nurses continues to grow, fewer are working in home healthcare and hospice compared to years past, according to the latest national sample survey collected by the Health Resources & Services Administration. In 2018, there were 179,509 RNs working in home health and hospice, representing about 6% of the nursing workforce, according to an earlier national survey. HRSA’s latest count estimated that there were 173,808 RNs in home health and hospice in 2022, or only 5% of the workforce.
Fostering respect and appreciation seen as keys to retaining direct care workers
04/05/24 at 02:00 AMFostering respect and appreciation seen as keys to retaining direct care workersMcKnights Online Forum, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 3/27/24 Expressions of appreciation and respect can go a long way in addressing senior living’s direct care workforce crisis, according to a panel of direct workers and employers who addressed what makes employees want to stay — or go. ... Nate Hamme, president and executive director of the Ceca Foundation, ... said that the most important part of employee recognition is listening to people. ... He added that there is a science to recognition backed by research into what motivates people and implementing programs around that. ... Recognition programs, Hamme added, should focus on IMPACT: inclusive, mission-aligned, public, authentic, consistent and timely.
Nursa Survey finds 98% of hospital CFOs view nurse staffing as top challenge
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMNursa Survey finds 98% of hospital CFOs view nurse staffing as top challenge Morningstar, provided by Business Wire; 4/2/24Survey results offer insight into C-suite perspectives on workforce trends and financial impact. Nursa, a nationwide platform that exists to put a nurse at the bedside of every patient in need, today released the results of a survey with healthcare decision-makers that examines their perspectives on the evolving social contract of employment, opinions on the 1099 workforce, and reflections on what makes a nurse truly valuable to an organization. Key findings from the survey include:
[Maine] Senate backs safe staffing bill with aim to increase patient safety, decrease nurse burnout
04/03/24 at 03:00 AM[Maine] Senate backs safe staffing bill with aim to increase patient safety, decrease nurse burnout Main Morning Star, by Lauren McCauley; 3/27/24 If passed, Maine would be the second state in the country to institute nurse-to-patient ratios. ... Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland), who sponsored the bill, shared with the chamber her experience as a nurse and how the stress of being understaffed can contribute to burnout and what she described as “moral distress.” ... Brenner said the bill accomplishes two goals: increasing patient safety and increasing nurse retention.
Northwell hospital nurses cancel strike
04/03/24 at 03:00 AMNorthwell hospital nurses cancel strike Becker's Hospital Review, by Kelly Gooch; 4/1/24Members of the New York State Nurses Association have called off a planned April 2 strike at New York City-based Staten Island University Hospital after reaching a tentative agreement with management on a new labor contract. The union represents 1,300 workers at the facility. ... SIUH is part of New Hyde Park, NY-based Northwell Health, a 21-hospital system with more than 85,000 employees total. ... The agreement "adds nurse staffing on units that need help"; includes an expedited process for creating staffing standards in new units; and features wage increases that total 22.12% over three years and include annual pay increases, market adjustment pay, and experience pay, the union said.
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. ...
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?
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.
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.
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.
5 C-suite roles talent leaders are watching
03/29/24 at 03:15 AM5 C-suite roles talent leaders are watchingBecker's Hospital Review, by Alexis Kayser; 3/21/24Becker's recently connected with HR and talent executives to learn how their health systems are strengthening leadership pipelines. When asked which leadership roles they expect to focus hiring efforts on in the coming years, these C-suite titles emerged.
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.
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. ...
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: ...
Hospice & Palliative Care Handbook: Quality, Compliance, and Reimbursement, 4th Edition
03/29/24 at 03:00 AMHospice & Palliative Care Handbook: Quality, Compliance, and Reimbursement, 4th Edition McGraw Hill - Access APN; textbook by Tina M. Marrelli and Jennifer Kennedy; 3/28/24 “Hospice & Palliative Care Handbook, Fourth Edition, is an invaluable resource for timely hospice regulatory and compliance information, documentation, care planning, and case management. It provides clear guidance for hospice managers, clinicians, and interdisciplinary group members. I have utilized Tina Marrelli’s home health and hospice handbooks to support training new clinical staff and students for decades and consider these resources to be the gold standard.” – Kimberly Skehan, MSN, RN, HCS-D, COS-C, Vice President of Accreditation - Community Health Accreditation Partner
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.