Literature Review

Healthcare staff retention post-acquisition SOVDOC; 12/18/25 ... Stark Reality: 47% of employees leave within the first year following an acquisition, climbing to 75% by year three.

Staying connected: A longitudinal, multisite, interprofessional rural fellowship collaborationJournal of Pain & Symptom Management; by Rhianon R. Liu, Rebecca N. Hutchinson, Stephen H. Berns, Nastasha Stitham, Jackie Fournier, John W. Wax MD , Lisa A. Stephens, Jonathan S. Jolin, Maxwell T. Vergo; 11/25Four interprofessional Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) fellowship programs in rural northern New England states created an in-person educational retreat series. The goal of the series was to maximize shared educational resources and foster community amongst faculty and fellows, in an upstream attempt to improve recruitment/retention of clinicians in three rural states with inadequate access to specialty palliative care. At least 88% of fellows rated the retreats effective in strengthening their clinical, communication, teamwork, and leadership skills. Over four-fifths of faculty and fellows felt the retreats increased their sense of belonging and decreased professional isolation. The retreats were a top factor influencing fellowship choice for 29% of fellows, as well as a major incentive to remain practicing in the region for 32% of faculty.

Hospice Savannah launches Certified Nursing Assistant Training Program Savannah Tribune, Savannah, GA; Press Release; 12/17/25 Hospice Savannah is proud to partner with Senior Citizens, Inc. and Savannah Technical College to launch the Edel Caregiver Institute’s Weekend Certified Nursing Assistant Training Program. ...  Open to all community members, the program provides full CNA accreditation through Savannah Tech and will include specialized dementia and elder-care skills training. For those who qualify, scholarships are available offering tuition assistance, CAT Bus vouchers, childcare support, discounted meals, and immediate employment opportunities with Hospice Savannah or Senior Citizens, Inc. upon successful completion and certification.Editor's Note: This innovative CNA Training Program was awarded a $50,000 grand from Savannah Philanthropic Partners, under the leadership of President/CEO Kathleen Benton.

The ethical challenge of negative compassion: How excessive empathy in end-of-life care affects decision-making and patient autonomy Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Victoria Pérez-Rugosa, Gina Lladó-Jordan, Pablo de Lorena-Quintal, Esther Domínguez-Valdés, Antonia Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Carmen Sarabia-Cobo; 12/11/25 Online ahead of print ... 3 key themes emerged: decision paralysis and emotional overload, conflicts between personal beliefs and professional responsibilities, and institutional barriers to ethical practice. Findings reveal that excessive emotional involvement can hinder the implementation of patients' documented wishes, potentially compromising patient autonomy and increasing caregiver distress. The study highlights the need for institutional policies that support emotional resilience, structured debriefing, and ethics training. ... These insights are highly relevant for palliative nursing practice, offering guidance for supporting staff and upholding patient-centered care in end-of-life settings.

Can tech restore the human side of care? Becker's Health IT; by Ella Jeffries; 11/14/25 Technology has been both a promise and a problem in healthcare. When EHRs arrived in hospitals, they were heralded as a revolution — bringing order to messy paper charts and standardizing how care was documented. But soon after, clinicians found themselves staring more at screens than at the patients sitting in front of them. Now, nurse leaders say the very systems that once distanced them from patients could hold the key to rebuilding that connection.

Coordinating at-home care, enhancing quality of life as a hospice nurse case manager Grand Haven Tribune; by Emmanuel Hospice; 11/19/25 Throughout her career, Brittany Rickert has explored nursing jobs in various settings but keeps getting drawn back to hospice. For her, there's little out there that offers such a unique and rewarding experience. "There are landmarks throughout our lives and death is one of them," says Rickert, a nurse of 15 years. "It is very special to be allowed into that sacred space with patients and their loved ones, to support them through such a pivotal portion of their life." ... She defines her position as the "coordinator of the patient experience altogether," working alongside an interdisciplinary team to bring supportive services directly to patients, wherever they call home.

Empathy is the strongest form of leadership: Kyle Godhard Cleveland.com; by guest columnist Kyle Godhard, VP of Human Resources at Hospice of the Western Reserve; 11/16/25 ... In hospice care, that compassion runs especially deep. Staff walk alongside patients and families in their final days, often carrying emotional weight long after each goodbye.  In such a setting, leadership must offer more than direction; it must offer empathy. At Hospice of the Western Reserve, we believe compassionate leadership is not only kind, but also strategic. And it may be the most important investment any healthcare organization can make. ... Compassionate leadership doesn’t replace high expectations. It strengthens them. It builds teams that trust one another, stay committed and show up fully for patients and families. 

Navigating choice: Eating, drinking and decision-making at end of life for individuals with cognitive impairmentJournal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology; by Laura Chahdaa, Druvni Pererab, Darcy Longc, Laura Knauerb, Sanora Yonand; 10/25Current clinical guidelines offer limited direction for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) supporting eating and drinking decisions in palliative care (PC), particularly for individuals with dysphagia and co-occurring cognitive impairment. This population presents unique clinical, ethical and interpersonal challenges that often fall outside existing frameworks such as ‘Eating and Drinking with Acknowledged Risk’. This scoping review explores the key considerations for SLPs involved in end-of-life decisionmaking in these complex cases. A qualitative scoping review was conducted and analysed thematically [and] ... six overarching themes were identified: person-centred care; emotional and relational dynamics; ethical decision-making complexity; medical risk; barriers to effective clinical practice; and legal considerations. Findings reveal inconsistencies in practice and limited guidance for SLPs navigating care for individuals with cognitive impairment at the end of life.

Understanding the importance of leadership development training in today's workforceJoyRulez - JR; by davidnbell; 11/10/25 Leadership development training has become a cornerstone for businesses aiming to create a sustainable and high-performing workforce. This article explores the significance of leadership development training and its role in shaping the future of organizations in the United States. ... 

Developing person-centred care in hospices through the voice and leadership of nursing: lessons from the United Kingdom Frontiers in Helath Services; by Erna Haraldsdottir, Marie Cooper, Heather Richardson; 10/15/25 Conclusion and implications for practice: Humanising healthcare is a global agenda, and within hospice care, nurses are at the heart of transforming care to be more person-centred. They are well-positioned to reclaim the core principles of palliative care, as developed by Cicely Saunders, and push back against the medical model that has overshadowed the development and integration of palliative care into current healthcare systems. Nurses are expert practitioners and leaders who hold positions of authority within their organisations. Yet, for many, their change-making potential is not realised. 

Four nurses in two weeks assaulted at Essentia Hospitals: Nurses say violence is a consequence of unsafe staffing and inaction Minnesota Nurses Association, Brainer, MN; Press Release; 10/28/25Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) are once again outraged and deeply concerned after two more violent assaults on nurses at Essentia Health. A nurse at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd was attacked by a patient last Thursday, followed by another assault at the same facility over the weekend. The latest incidents come less than two weeks after two nurses were injured at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. Four nurses assaulted in under two weeks reflects a dangerous pattern in Essentia facilities—one that nurses have been warning about for years.Editor's Note: Continue reading for preventable actions and red flags, "True safety comes from care-based prevention." These were hospital settings; the home care settings your staff and volunteers enter provide much higher risks with less control. Ask your direct care staff for examples of professional situations that were unsafe. Office-based leaders, you might be surprised. Examine your workplace violence policies, procedures, trainings, incident reporting, and follow-up.