Literature Review

Children’s bereavement needs on rise, Hospice of Santa Barbara finds Noozhawk, Santa Barbara County, CA; by Wavecomm; 4/20/25 It’s not just adults who are impacted by grief and loss in the Santa Barbara community. Children are as well. One in five children will experience the death of someone close to them by age 18, and one in 20 children will experience the death of one or both parents before reaching adulthood, according to Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB). Although death and grief are inevitable parts of life, these statistics highlight just how many children are impacted. ... HSB is active on local campuses, providing professional weekly support groups from elementary to college age students. On-campus counseling services provide a space for open communication, support and the development of coping skills, helping to mitigate the risk of drug and alcohol abuse among grieving youth. HSB also works with teachers and staff to offer guidance and support when students face a traumatic death. HSB is prepared to respond to calls from 65 schools from Carpinteria to Goleta, in case a traumatic death occurs within the campus.

The intersection of dignity and healing with Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov Practice of the Practice; podcast by Jo Sanok with Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov; 4/22/25 How can we ensure dignity in end-of-life care? What does every therapist need to know about actively incorporating dignity into therapeutic care for their clients? What is the procedure for a practical application of dignity in therapy and healthcare? In this podcast episode, Joe Sanok discusses the intersection of dignity and healing with Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov. 

HMN 2025: What are the obstacles to opiod accessibility for severely ailing sufferers Health Medicine Network; by The Mount Sinai Hospital; 4/22/25 In a research published in NEJM Catalyst, researchers on the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai describe how measures to curb opioid overdoses within the normal inhabitants have compromised a crucial cornerstone of palliative care. ...  “The opioid disaster of overdose deaths stays omnipresent; nonetheless, a brand new menace has emerged amongst susceptible populations who want these medicines as first-line remedy for his or her ache, which will be extreme,” says lead writer Rebecca Rodin, MD, Assistant Professor of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn Mount School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who makes a speciality of palliative drugs. “We hope our findings will lay the muse for deeper dialog to revive stability between opioid extra and entry.”

[UK] I’m a palliative care nurse – here’s how I find joy MSN - i Paper, United Kingdom; by Joanna Whitehead; 4/19/25 Palliative care nurse and ward manager Sophie Brew works at a Sue Ryder Hospice, supporting people with terminal illnesses to live as fully and comfortably as possible. While some may regard the role as bleak or upsetting, Ms. Brew considers her job to be deeply meaningful, and a privilege. She tells The i Paper how she finds joy in the everyday.

Belief in an afterlife is increasing in the United States: Even among the non-religious The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA); by Ryan Burge; 4/17/25 This post has been unlocked through a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment for the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA). The graphs you see here use data that is publicly available for download and analysis through link(s) provided in the text below. ... I wanted to dig a bit deeper on the variations in those belief metrics today, with a question that I haven’t really probed a whole lot. The General Social Survey, which is available on the Association of Religion Data Archives website, contains a really straightforward question, “Do you believe there is a life after death?” And it has an even simpler set of response options - yes or no. It’s been asked with regularity since 1973, so we have nearly five decades of data on this one specific question. ... Even today, the share of Americans who believe in life after death is 82%. When people ask me, “Is the United States a religious country?” This is the stat that I’m going to trot out.

Palliative care and advanced cardiovascular disease in adults: Not just end-of-life care: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association AHAIASA Journals - American Heart Association; by Lucinda J. Graven, PhD, APRN, FAHA, Lisa Kitko, PhD, RN, FAHA, Martha Abshire Saylor, PhD, MSN, BA, RN, Larry Allen, MD, MHS, FAHA, Angela Durante, PhD, RN, Lorraine S. Evangelista, PhD, RN, CNS, WAN, FAHA, Amy Fiedler, MD, James Kirkpatrick, MD, Lakeisha Mixon, MSW, and Rachel Wells, PhD, MSN, BA on behalf of the American Heart Association Complex Cardiovascular Nursing Care Science Committee of the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; and Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia; 4/17/25  ... This scientific statement (1) discusses the application of effective communication, shared decision-making, age-friendly care, and advance care planning in advanced cardiovascular disease palliative care; (2) provides a summary of recent evidence related to palliative care and symptom management, quality of life, spiritual and psychological support, and bereavement support in individuals with advanced cardiovascular disease and their care partners; (3) discusses issues involving diversity, equity, and inclusion in cardiovascular disease palliative care; (4) highlights the ethical and legal concerns surrounding palliative care and implanted cardiac devices; and (5) provides strategies for palliative care engagement in adults with advanced cardiovascular disease for the care team.

Hospitalists in a bind when cancer prognosis hasn’t sunk inMedscape; by Jake Remaly; 4/15/25 When a patient with cancer is admitted to the hospital, the reason might not be related to the malignancy. But the hospitalist in charge sometimes becomes aware of a major disconnect: The patient, who they just met, does not grasp the severity of their cancer prognosis. On the one hand, the hospital medicine team and patient have advance directives and goals of care to consider, which may steer the course of the hospitalization and any use of hospice. The cancer prognosis — the patient might only have months to live, for example — could be a key component of those conversations. On the other hand, explaining the cancer situation should fall to the oncologist, right? ...

Brain activity before death: Do we see our lives flash? Time.News; interview with Dr. Eleanor Vance; 4/12/25 What flashes through our minds in the final moments of life? Could it be an intense reel of our most cherished memories or a profound sense of calm? Recent studies suggest that the brain may not simply shut down at death; instead, it could be engaged in a powerful replay of life’s most significant moments, offering a glimpse into the mysteries of consciousness and the human experience.

Three things Florida’s family caregivers need right nowTampa Bay Times; by Marvell Adams, Jr.; 4/9/25With Florida having one of the highest senior populations, there is a critical need for comprehensive hospice care. Caring for a loved one with a serious illness is one of the most difficult experiences a family faces. In today’s complex healthcare environment, several key factors can help alleviate the burden of caring for loved ones at home.

Heart & Soul: Nikki HarrisCharleston Area Medical Center, Charleston, WV; 4/8/25 Nikki Harris is a Charge Nurse on 4 West at Memorial Hospital. Harris’ coworkers say she always provides excellent care but went out of her way for one man who wasn’t even her patient. The man’s wife was near the end of life in Hospice at Memorial Hospital. He had not been able to see or visit her since his own hospitalization. Recognizing the importance of this moment, Harris went above and beyond by personally escorting him to his wife’s side. She ensured that he had the time he needed to hold her hand, express his love and say goodbye before her passing. Harris’ compassion and selflessness in providing this extraordinary gesture of care during such a difficult time was deeply appreciated. She made a meaningful difference in this patient’s life and honored the final moments of his wife’s life.

You've got a friendtor in me: Innovations in peer mentoring for mid-career palliative care clinicians American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care; April Zehm, Andrew J Lawton, Leah B Rosenberg, Sudha Natarajan, Bethany-Rose Daubman; 3/14/25 Mentoring is crucial to professional success, but little is known about the professional development needs of mid-career hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) clinicians. ... An interprofessional "friendtor" group of five HPM clinicians from three academic medical centers met monthly and for a year-end focus group. ... Several themes emerged that highlight the importance of ...

Nurse honor guard hoping to grow in South Dakota Sisseton Courier, Sisston, SD; by Brenner Cariveau; 4/4/25Nurse Honor Guard is a national organization which aims to honor the life of a nurse in funeral services. Traveling home, health and hospice nurse Laura Frankenhoff said the ceremonies help highlight the career of the nurses and is a way to ensure they are recognized for the work they have done as a nurse. Nurse Honor Guard has been performing ceremonies to honor the lives of nurses nationwide since their inception in the 1980s, Frankenhoff said. Regarding the honor guard, the base is made up of volunteers, according to Frankenhoff. "It's a volunteer chapter. You can make a chapter anywhere." Editor's note: Especially for pioneer hospice organizations--typically non-profits but definitely not all--do you honor those who laid the foundations for the work you're able to do now? If not, how can you? While nurses are absolutely core, how might you also honor your aides, social workers, chaplains, grief counselors, executives, office staff, and others who invested their talents and years in hospice care? May we remember. May we humbly thank and honor them.

Build sustainable schedules to support physician well-beingAmerican Medical Association (AMA) - Physician Health; by Sara Berg, MS; 4/1/25Physician schedules often fail to block off the time required to complete nonpatient-facing tasks such as clinical documentation, patient messages and chart review. If this hidden time were accounted for, doctors could show that they have vastly reduced patient availability, given the amount of time that is required to complete these nonclinical tasks. ”Rather than reduce patients’ access to a doctor by blocking their schedules, it makes much more sense to delegate various tasks,” said R. John Sawyer, PhD, a neuropsychologist at Ochsner Health. [Continue reading ...]