Literature Review

The work of hospicing Stanford Social Innovation Review; by Vanessa Andreotti and Habib Nabatu; Winter 2025 issue, 11/20/24As we stand at the precipice of endings—of species, ecosystems, organizations, and systems themselves—the work of hospicing is to move beyond fear and embrace the deep transitions ahead with wisdom. To be stewards of this time, we must develop the practices and capacities to tend to these endings, not with urgency or control, but with a kind of stillness that invites the birth of new ways of being. Endings are not failures; they are part of a cycle that requires presence, reverence, and humility. Our hyperfocus on growth and expansion has left us ill-prepared to sit with death—whether it be the death of industries or the biosphere—and this discomfort with grief prevents us from being fully alive in the present. How might we allow the crumbling of outdated structures without rushing to rebuild too quickly? How might we hold space for what is irreversibly changing, without rushing to save or fix it? ...

Mother, doctor, CEO: one woman’s journey to reshape health care [podcast] MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; podcast by KevinMD; 11/16/24 We dive into the powerful story of a physician-mother whose world changed with the onset of COVID-19. Our guest, Arian Nachat, a palliative and emergency medicine physician, shares her journey through the pandemic, balancing the demanding roles of mother and doctor. From navigating childcare crises and homeschooling to reimagining her career beyond the confines of traditional health care, she sheds light on the struggles faced by frontline workers. Listen as she reveals how these challenges inspired her to reshape her path, create a health care company addressing critical system gaps, and advocate for a patient-centered, physician-led approach to medicine.

Educating patients and clinicians on end-of-life care and discussions CancerNetwork - home of the journal Oncology; by Kelley A. Rone, DNP, RN, AGNP-c CancerNetwork® sat down with Kelley A. Rone, DNP, RN, AGNP-c, to discuss the importance of speaking compassionately and ensuring patient awareness when leading end-of-life discussions among those with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. The discussion also focused on combating burnout in the clinic, using opioids to help manage pain and other symptoms, and educating all members of a multidisciplinary team on initiating end-of-life conversations with their patients. ... As part of leading these end-of-life conversations, Rone emphasized the necessity of addressing the discomfort patients tend to feel when talking about the fact that they may die from their cancer. ... When working with other members of a multidisciplinary care team, Rone illustrated the challenge of having physicians understand that their treatments may fail in younger patients and helping other oncologists become more experienced in speaking about death with patients. ...

Signs and symptoms of end-of-life kidney failure Health; by Lindsay Curtis; 11/8/24 Kidney failure, or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), occurs when the kidneys lose their ability to filter waste and excess fluids from the blood. As toxins and fluid build up in the body, other health problems can develop, increasing the risk of life-threatening complications. ...

Why Judy Faulkner believes in 'yin-yang' leadership Becker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 11/4/24 Epic founder and CEO Judy Faulkner says effective leadership teams typically consist of people who balance each other out. She pointed to the definition of "yin and yang" as "complementary and at the same time opposing forces that interact to form a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the assembled parts and the parts are important for cohesion of the whole," she wrote in a Nov. 4 blog post. Ms. Faulkner has often noticed that two people in leadership roles have great success together because they're so different.

Providence, nurses union step up war of words as new Portland-area hospital strike looms The Lund Report; by Jake Thomas; 10/31/24 Providence is accusing the state’s largest nurses union of “power flexing” after nurses at Providence St. Vincent signaled they are willing to strike in what could be another widespread work stoppage at the hospital system. The Oregon Nurses Association announced Thursday that 1,800 nurses at the hospital located in unincorporated Washington County, just west of Portland, gave union negotiators the green light to call for a strike. ... Nurses and allied health care workers at Providence’s Portland and Seaside hospitals as well as its Home Health & Hospice service went on strike in June last year. Each of the three workplaces eventually reached contracts with Providence. But the new contracts had shorter timeframes than usual because of the strikes and are set to expire on Dec. 31, 2024. All three began negotiations again with Providence management last month. 

We invite you to listen to our latest podcast: Imagine Heaven, with John Burke TCN Talks (Teleios Collaborative Network); podcast by Chris Comeaux; 10/30/24 In this inspiring episode of TCNtalks, Chris Comeaux sits down with John Burke, New York Times bestselling author of Imagine Heaven and Imagine the God of Heaven, for a soul-stirring conversation on near-death experiences (NDEs) and their profound implications. John shares the overwhelming evidence of the commonalities of near-death experiences (NDEs) and the evidence that supports their validity from across the world and from across many different cultures.  Chris begins by recounting his own transformative experience reading Imagine Heaven over his summer sabbatical, describing it as a refreshing oasis for the parched soul. John delves into the fascinating and consistent patterns found in NDEs worldwide, revealing how people from vastly different backgrounds describe similar encounters of leaving their bodies, seeing with a spiritual clarity—even those blind from birth—and entering realms filled with light, love, and peace. 

4 Leadership strategies to motivate disengaged team members Forbes; by Julie Kratz; 10/30/24Disengagement often stems from a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities, poor communication and ineffective leadership. When employees don’t understand how their work contributes to the organization’s goals, or when they feel undervalued or undercompensated, they are more likely to disengage. When a culture doesn’t prioritize respect, trust and inclusion, it can lead to feelings of isolation or alienation. Disengagement can also be exacerbated by leaders who fail to commit to decisions or who don’t model the behaviors they expect from their teams. To motivate disengaged team members, consider these strategies: ...

Creating death box eases stress, brings 'peace of mind' to those left behind BradfordToday.ca, Canada; by Andrew Philips; 10/26/24 Creating a death box might sound like sort of a morbid thing to do, but it’s vitally important. That’s according to Tammy Vaters, supportive care coordinator at Hospice Huronia-Tomkins House, ... who leads upcoming workshops on creating a death box or a “legacy box or final wishes box” for those uncomfortable with the more succinct terminology ["death box"]. ... Besides end-of-life wishes, Vaters says the box can include photos that someone would like displayed at a celebration of life or similar offering along with personalized letters to family and friends and personal mementos that have special meaning. “It gives you more opportunities of expressing how you feel about somebody,” she says, noting the boxes should also contain usernames and passwords that may aid one's loved ones after death. “They can be more thoughtful and personal.” Vaters, who is a specialist in thanatology (the study of death, dying and bereavement), says people will often use another term for death. 

Dr. Wu explores team engagement in Psychology Today Montclair State University; Feliciano School of Business; 10/28/24 Dr. Te Wu, Associate Professor in the department of Management, recently published an article in Psychology Today. The article, The Psychology of Team Engagement, co-authored with Dr. Brian Williamson, delves into the importance of empathetic leadership for high performing, motivated teams. Team engagement is crucial for organizational success, especially in today’s complex work environment. High engagement levels lead to increased productivity, creativity, and profitability, while disengagement can result in high turnover and low employee morale. Research indicates that highly engaged employees can make companies 22% more profitable and contribute to a 19% increase in operating income. Key factors influencing engagement include autonomy, competence, and connection. Autonomy allows employees to take control of their work, competence is enhanced through continuous learning and feedback, and connection establishes a sense of belonging. 

What is narrative medicine? Finding humanity in health care Rheumatology Advisor; by Matthew Eck, MS; 10/25/24 Health care requires humanity. At its roots, narrative medicine embodies this ideology. Coined in 2000 by internist and scholar Rita Charon, MD, PhD, the field is “medicine practiced with the narrative competence to recognize, interpret, and be moved to action by the predicament of others.” ... Narrative medicine is less a specific practice and more a theoretical framework that equips caregivers and health care professionals with tools to provide more holistic care. These tools stem from storytelling principles and literature, which can hone our empathic and listening skills. ... Medical schools across the country are increasingly tailoring their curricula to include humanities-focused aspects, ... Conclusion: Regardless of one’s feelings about health care infrastructure in the United States, narrative medicine illuminates a profound truth — more can be done to accommodate patients of different backgrounds. Narrative medicine can offer health care providers a new way of thinking, attending, and recognizing. It could bring us closer to the human condition than ever before.

Advance Directives: How to make sure your end-of-life decisions are followed Bottom Line Inc; by Mathew D. Pauley, JD; 10/24/24 Nearly 40% of older Americans have some form of advance directives, such as a living will to communicate wishes about life-saving treatment…or a medical power of attorney appointing a loved one as proxy if they’re incapacitated.  Problem: Your wishes may not always be followed in real-world situations. Examples: Emergency paramedics typically provide CPR to restart a patient’s heart even if that patient’s living will says otherwise. And complex medical circumstances at the end of life often arise that force your loved ones to make judgment calls about what you really want. Bottom Line Personal spoke to clinical ethicist Mathew Pauley about how to make sure hospitals, medical providers and family members follow your medical wishes.

Patient, staff satisfaction biggest ROIs of trauma-informed hospice care Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/23/24 Improved patient and staff satisfaction are among the most significant returns on investment for hospices that are pouring greater resources into trauma-informed training. The ability to build a trusting relationship with patients and their families is a key skill set for any hospice professional to possess, but one that takes on a profoundly different meaning when caring for survivors of abuse, violence and trauma. This is according to Amber Ash, pediatric hospice and palliative care social worker at Ohio-based Hospice of the Western Reserve. Trauma-informed education should be a normalized part of hospice’s interdisciplinary training to help staff recognize and respond to a range of experiences, Ash indicated. This type of training can help provide opportunities for improved goal-concordant care while also aligning with staff’s professional goals and personal values, she stated.