Literature Review

By the Bay Health recognized as 2026 Golden Bell Honoree for Innovative Healthcare Workforce Development Program ByTheBayHealth.org News, Larkspur, CA; by Sarah Robertson; 5/27/26 By the Bay Health has been named a 2026 Golden Bell Honoree by the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) and the Marin County School Boards Association (MCSBA) in recognition of its Pathways to Care Careers initiative ... The award recognizes By the Bay Health’s longstanding partnership with Marin County schools and its commitment to expanding access to healthcare career education for high school and college students. A key component of the initiative is the Introduction to the World of Healthcare course at San Marin High School. Funded by private donations to By the Bay Health, the course is taught by a By the Bay Health clinician and clinical guest lecturers through a partnership with the Marin County Office of Education.Editor's Note: Congratulations on this innovative partnership and investment in future healthcare professionals. May this intergenerational model inspire other healthcare organizations to help cultivate the next generation of compassionate care.

‘Behind the blue’: social work's Abbie Latimer on how to support those who are suffering UKNow | University of Kentucky HealthCare, Lexington, KY; by Kody Kiser; 6/1/26 When someone we care about is going through something painful, many of us struggle with the same question: what do I say? On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Abbie Latimer, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, discusses hospice and palliative care, serious illness communication and how people can better support one another during difficult moments. Latimer also holds an affiliate appointment in the UK College of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Palliative and Supportive Care. 

First do no harm: communication surrounding non-beneficial treatments American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Cassie Stanzler, MD, Adam Marks, MD, MPH, and Laura Taylor, MD, MSc; 5/21/26 Despite a consensus in the medical community that clinicians should not offer non-beneficial treatments (NBTs) to their patients, little guidance exists on the particular communication needs around this fraught topic. While intended in the spirit of non-maleficence, setting limits around NBTs can be seen by patients and families as abandonment, resulting in conflict. In this paper, we propose a framework to guide Palliative Care clinicians in communicating about these complex issues with patients and families. ... Our framework emphasizes proactive relationship building with patients and families, close attention to their values, and compassionate limit-setting when medically appropriate. 

What I've learned at the bedside: Jewish wisdom for the time before death ReformJudaism.org - Jewish Life In Your Life; by Ptarmigan Emery; 5/27/26 I have been a hospice nurse for 10 years. ... I am also a Jew, though not a particularly observant one. ... What has surprised me is how often those two parts of myself, the nurse and the Jew, have found each other in the same moment at the bedside. Jewish tradition has a great deal to say about the time before death. ... In traditional Jewish law, a person who is actively dying has a name: a goses. The rabbis gave this passage its own category, saying: this time is sacred and deserves our full attention. ...Editor's Note: Sacred Time. Without rushing or turning away, this thoughtful reflection explores how Jewish wisdom honors the moments before death as deserving presence, meaning, and our fullest attention.

Palliative care education boosts assisted living staff confidence, care quality for residents with dementiaMcKnights Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 5/27/26...  Most assisted living staff members currently say they lack the training to engage in advance care planning, according to the researchers. The National Institutes of Health, which funded [this] study, said that the palliative care education intervention studied has the potential to be delivered more broadly among assisted living communities and could be vital in addressing workforce challenges in providing high-quality palliative and end-of-life care there. 

Clinician grief is a hidden crisis in modern hospice care MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; by Linda Ellington, RN; 5/12/26 I stood knocking at the door of my hospice patient like I did every Monday for the past eight months. A musically talented man in his early 40s was always waiting for my weekly nursing visit, more so for the aspect of socialization. He was diagnosed with colon cancer two years prior and had a colostomy bag, leaving this once vibrant, social, even handsome man a shell of what he once was. He became introverted and allowed only one friend to check on him occasionally. He had no family and only one estranged child who lived in another country. There was no answer at the door ...

Where do unhoused people go to die? The Denver Clarion, Denver, CO; by Hawke Baldwin; 5/4/26 ... On April 29th 9News presented its documentary “Refuge” in DU’s Anderson Academic Commons, giving viewers a glimpse into the reality of death. “Refuge” is a sad yet inspiring story that delves into end-of-life care for those both terminally ill and unhoused in Denver. ... A person featured in the film is James Patrick Hall, a Gregorian Frier and former engineer who founded Rocky Mountain Refuge, a haven for those in need of end-of-life care. The refuge is a hospice center providing home-style care for free. ... The documentary follows four unhoused and terminally ill individuals: Jennifer, Renne, James and Jose. All of whom were unable to find appropriate care anywhere else, so they turned to Rocky Mountain Refuge.

Why artificial intelligence displacement threatens medical specialties MedPageToday's KevinMD.com; by H. Michael Boulton, MD; 5/3/26 Diagnostic radiology, as a physician-staffed specialty, will not exist in its current form within 20 years. Neither will diagnostic pathology. Neither, in all likelihood, will the outpatient model of endocrinology or general internal medicine as we currently understand it. These are not fringe predictions from technologists who have never set foot in a hospital; they are the logical endpoint of capability curves that are already clearly in motion, ... I know that will make a lot of my colleagues uncomfortable. I get it. But I would argue the real problem is not the prediction; it is that we keep avoiding the conversation.

Wearable technology impacts hospice staff safety, satisfaction Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 5/4/26 Wearable technologies have the potential to improve safety and communication among home-based hospice workers in the field. Hospice professionals navigate several unknown factors when providing care in the home, said Kenny Kelley, founder and CEO of Silent Beacon. Established in 2016, the safety company provides wearable devices featuring a panic button system for emergency response and workplace communication. Ensuring clinicians’ safety and well-being are important to strong staff retention, Kelley said. 

Assessment of survival and the decision to engage in palliative care when facing a defeat in the ICUMedical Decision Making; by Hossam Gad, Daniel Diedrich, and Krzysztof Laudanski; 4/24/26 Highlights

10 best, worst states for nurses in 2026 Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 4/28/26 ... To determine the best and worst states for nurses, the personal finance company evaluated all 50 states across two two dimensions: opportunity and competition, and work environment. Those dimensions were evaluated using 20 metrics, ranging from monthly average starting salary for nurses to average commute time. ... Here are the 10 best and worst states for nurses in 2026, per the ranking: Best: 1. Maine; 2. New Hampshire; 3. Washington; 4. Oregon; 5; Arizona; 6. West Virginia; 7. Minnesota; 8. Montana; 9. Connecticut; 10. Florida Worst: 50. Oklahoma; 49. North Dakota; 48. Alabama; 47. Mississippi; 46. South Dakota; 45. Louisiana; 44. Tennessee; 43. Arkansas; 42. Hawaii; 41. Virginia

Palliative care market: expanding healthcare focus on quality of life BriefingWire.com; Press Release; 4/23/26 Palliative Care Market is witnessing steady global growth due to the rising prevalence of chronic and life-limiting diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory illnesses, and neurodegenerative conditions. ... Technological advancements, such as telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, are further reshaping the palliative care landscape. These innovations allow healthcare providers to deliver continuous care to patients in remote or underserved areas, improving accessibility and reducing hospital dependency. Integration of digital health platforms is also enhancing coordination between multidisciplinary care teams, ensuring better patient outcomes.

End-of-life guidelines [in the ICU] emphasize unified care American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, in "Clinical Voices April 2026"; 4/21/26 New guidelines for end of life (EOL) care in the ICU call for clearer communication with families, stronger support for decision making and coordinated teamwork across disciplines to align treatments with what patients can realistically achieve and reduce suffering. “Society of Critical Care Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines on Adult End-of-Life Care in the ICU ,” in Critical Care Medicine, highlights the need for standardized processes, including identifying legal surrogates, using shared decision making tools and adopting protocolized withdrawal pathways. Additional priorities include early palliative care involvement, spiritual support and focused education to reduce conflict. Recommendations are summarized in three major areas: