Literature Review

The ASCENT Consortium: A new resource to support palliative care science across the lifespanJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Jean S Kutner, Melissa D Aldridge, Abraham A Brody, Chris Feudtner, Kimberly Johnson, Stacy M Fischer, Susan Lysaght Hurley, Alexis Bakos, Elena M Fazio, Karen A Kehl, Sandra A Mitchell, Elizabeth A Necka, Brennan Parmelee Streck, Chandra Keller; 2/26The ASCENT Consortium was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in August 2025 with the goal of advancing palliative care (PC) research, evidence, implementation and practice to improve care of persons with serious illness and those who care for them across the lifespan. ASCENT aims to: (1) Develop and coordinate the national scientific infrastructure and community needed to advance PC research... (2) Generate new PC research knowledge and methodologies... (3) Foster career development and impact of the PC scientist workforce by funding career development and pilot and exploratory awards... (4) Disseminate PC research findings and facilitate subsequent implementation via a multi-pronged approach...

How closed-ended survey questions and narrative comments interact in characterizing caregivers’ overall assessment of hospice care Rand.org, published in American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Denise D. Quigley, Anagha Alka Tolpadi, Danielle Schlang, Joshua Wolf, Rebecca Anhang Price, Melissa A. Bradley; April 2026 online ahead of  print Introduction: Responses to open-ended questions on experience surveys provide rich information and are useful for quality improvement (QI). We examine the usefulness of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Hospice Survey comments for informing hospice QI.Conclusion: Closed-ended questions on the CAHPS Hospice Survey elicit comprehensive insights on hospice care experiences. While many caregivers elected to provide open-ended feedback, a minority of these comments were actionable for QI, and comments did not provide substantial, unique information. CAHPS Hospice Survey measures are sufficient, without open-ended comments, to guide QI, prioritize actions, benchmark performance and assist caregivers in hospice selection.

Corticosteroid use and risk of adverse events in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancerThe Prostate; by Umang Swami, Qiujun Shao, Tamuno Alfred, Maelys Touya, Frank Cao, Pinal Kamdar, Jasmina Ivanova, Johanna Celli, David Nimke; 2/26Among the approved therapies for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), abiraterone and docetaxel are administered concomitantly with corticosteroids. This study evaluated the association between corticosteroid use and risk of adverse events among patients with mHSPC. Our findings suggest that patients exposed to corticosteroids are at increased risk of adverse events, hospitalization, and death. As not all mHSPC treatments require concomitant use of corticosteroids, these findings may help to inform treatment decision-making.

A narrative review of attitudes and beliefs toward hospice and palliative care in South Asian Muslim communitiesJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Adeela Mushtaq, Mona Tareen, Renato V Samala, Susan B LeGrand; 2/26This article presents two case narratives illustrating reservations toward HPC [hospice and palliative care] in South Asian Muslim (SAM) communities, highlighting challenges and proposing strategies for culturally sensitive care. The first case demonstrates that, even with evidence-based and empathetic approaches, hesitancy toward HPC may persist. This underscores the need for (1) community-level initiatives leveraging religious and cultural platforms to educate and engage communities, and (2) greater awareness among healthcare professionals of these values to minimize conflict and reduce provider distress. In the second case, Islamic scholars were consulted regarding the use of sedative medicines at the end of life. They agreed such use is permissible under the principle of medical necessity, emphasized deference to medical expertise, and stressed preserving the patient's ability to recite the Shahadah (testimony of faith) in their final moments.

"I don't get to feel this good very often:" Virtual reality intervention for veterans receiving end-of-life careJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Megan E Gately, Steven D Shirk, Anastasia Canell, Alexandra Laffer, Melanie Corle, Kristen Dillon; 2/26We explored the use of VR [virtual reality] with patients receiving inpatient HPC [hospice and palliative care]. Twenty-five veterans with complex medical and psychiatric comorbidities at a Veterans Affairs hospital participated. Data related to self-reported pain and well-being, as well as session feedback, were gathered. Despite some challenges with setup, 91% reported enjoyment, and 90% would participate again. Travel experiences were most popular, allowing reminiscence and touring of bucket-list destinations. Program feedback suggested improvements in anxiety, mood, and boredom.

Bridging the differences in care for grieving people: Worden's differentiation between grief counseling and grief therapyDeath Studies; by Mark D de St Aubin, William G Hoy; 2/26Worden's (1982, 2018) landmark textbook on caring for bereaved individuals differentiated grief counseling from grief therapy, defining the former as the efforts of both professional and lay caregivers to support bereaved people in normal grief. Grief therapy, he posited, is the more structured intervention offered by credentialed caregivers to support individuals coping with a more complicated experience of mourning. In this article, the authors explain Worden's perspective, describe his types of complicated mourning for which grief therapy might be warranted, and offer clinical application to the approaches Worden takes.

What does moral agency mean for nurses in the era of artificial intelligence?Hastings Center Report; by Connie M Ulrich, Oonjee Oh, Sang Bin You, Maxim Topaz, Zahra Rahemi, Liz Stokes, Lisiane Pruinelli, George Demiris, Patricia Flatley Brennan; 2/26Being a moral agent was once thought to be an irreplaceable, uniquely human role for nurses and other health care professionals who care for patients and their families during illness and hospitalization. Today, however, artificial intelligence systems are often referred to as “artificial moral agents,” “agentic,” and “autonomous agents.” As these systems begin to function in various capacities within health care organizations and to perform specialized duties, the question arises as to whether the next step will be to replace nurses and other health care professionals as moral agents. Focusing primarily on nurses, this essay explores the concept of moral agency, asking whether it remains exclusive to humans or can be conferred on AI systems. We argue that AI systems should not supplant nurses’ moral agency, as patients come to hospitals or any other health care setting to be heard, seen, and valued by skilled professionals, not to seek care from machines.

[Australia] The male approach to dementia caregiving: A scoping reviewAustralasian Journal on Ageing; by Vincent O Poisson, Amy E Peden, Roslyn G Poulos, Adrienne L Withall, Helen Jones, Kaele Stokes, Claire M C O'Connor; 3/26The proportion of male caregivers of people living with dementia has been rising since the 1990s.  Four main themes were identified [in this review of the literature]: gender differences in caregiver burden; male caregivers adopt a task-focused approach to gain control over caregiving; sons step into the caregiver role as a last resort; and males have specific caregiver needs. The findings suggest that socially constructed masculinity norms influence how men approach dementia caregiving. The findings also suggest that sons caring for a parent with dementia have a different approach to caregiving compared with husbands.

Developing a tool to advance person-centred care in hospice: The little things are the big thingsPalliative Care and Social Practice; by Mary Ellen Macdonald, Sophia Salmaniw, Lisa McNeil-Campbell, Anne Frances D’Intino, Lynette Sawchuk, Cyndi Corbett, Logan Lawrence; 2/23/26 Person-centred care has become the cornerstone of quality palliative and end-of-life care. Yet, there is a dearth of both practical guidance and tools to operationalize how to ensure palliative end-of-life care is optimally person-centred. Noting this lacuna, a new hospice in Eastern Canada developed and piloted their own tool, called the SELFY (Share, Explore, Learn and Focus on You!), the intention being to standardize their institution’s commitment to high-quality person-centred hospice care.

Delivering palliative care in mental health nursing settings: A systematic review Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing; by Oladapo Akinlotan, Allen O'Connor, Ruben Seetharamdoo, Mo Ghoorun; 3/6/26 Palliative care can provide comfort, alleviate suffering, and improve quality of life; however, access to palliative care for people with mental illnesses at the end of their lives is extremely poor. As the need for palliative care is expected to rise significantly in the future, palliative care must be considered a global health priority. ...  Recommendations: Although care for people with complex mental illness is complex while dying, conversations around palliative care need to be as part of a therapeutic relationship and engagement. Also, palliative care staff have an important role in communicating end-of-life planning to patients' families and carers.

Hyperactive Delirium during hospice patients’ last week of life in a home care setting