Literature Review

Delaware governor signs bill allowing medical marijuana use in hospitals by terminally ill patients Marijuana Moment; by Tom Angell; 5/25/26 Delaware’s governor has signed a bill to let terminally ill patients use medical cannabis in hospitals. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had unanimously passed the marijuana legislation from Sen. Marie Pinkney (D) this session, and Gov. Matt Meyer (D) signed it into law on Thursday [5/21].

The dying dream of the dead to be at peace with life DW; by Hannah Fuchs; 5/22/26 Many people have vivid dreams shortly before death. Research suggests the dreams are not a sign of confusion — but may help both the dying and their loved ones make sense of loss. Known as End‑of‑Life Dreams and Visions (ELDVs), they often occur as dreams during sleep, and sometimes as visions while a person is awake. For those experiencing them, they can feel more vivid and real than ordinary dreams — and for those observing them from the outside, it can be unsettling. Medicine long dismissed ELDVs as episodes of sudden confusion (delirium) or as side-effects of medication. But today, the thinking is shifting.

Mass General Brigham claims 1,400 lives saved hoodline, Boston, MA; by Benjamin Cortez; 5/21/26 Mass General Brigham says a two year, systemwide push to standardize safety checks, expand hospice and roll out predictive analytics sharply cut inpatient deaths, tallying more than 1,400 lives saved in two years by the health system’s own math. Several front line physicians inside those hospitals are not buying it. They argue that shifts in hospice placement and clinical documentation, not overnight miracles in bedside care, probably explain much of the improvement. The result is a rare, very public tug of war between executives celebrating quality rankings and clinicians who say the numbers do not line up with what they see on the wards.

Early electronic advance directives reduce burdensome end-of-life care News Medical & Life Sciences | Wiley; 5/20/26 Advance directives document patient preferences for future care, including end-of-life. An analysis in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that older patients with an advance directive that had been uploaded into the electronic health record at least six months before death were 25% less likely to experience potentially burdensome end-of-life care (19.9% versus 26.8%) and 31% less likely to have died in the hospital (23.2% versus 32.1%).

10 of the biggest regrets nurses hear from dying patients SavingAdvice.com; by Amanda Blankenship; 5/15/26 ... Hospice nurse Bronnie Ware famously documented several of the most common regrets she heard from patients nearing death, including working too much and failing to stay close to loved ones. These end-of-life regrets offer important lessons for anyone hoping to live with fewer disappointments and more peace.

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 ...

End-of-life care behind bars: A periodic literature search - May 2026Current Thinking; by Barry R. Ashpole; 5/6/26The current issue includes:

‘Moving the mindset’ of equitable hospice accessHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 5/7/26Hospices’ diversity and inclusion efforts have hit several barriers in recent years. Policy reform and more person-centered care integration represent two significant propellants toward improvement. Today’s providers often lack sufficient resources to improve health equity in substantial and sustainable ways, said Dr. Kimberly Curseen, board president for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM). Workforce shortages, challenging economic conditions and inefficient reimbursement are among hospices’ greatest challenges, she stated. Hospices need structured community outreach processes that measure cost, outcomes and quality improvements across diverse patient populations, Curseen indicated. Having dedicated health equity resources would go a long way to better understanding the range of both unmet needs and under-reached service regions.

The power of a visiting nurse: from Marian Watts to Nona’s visiting nurse to Katina Zaninovich Noozhawk, Santa Barbara, CA; by VNA Health; 5/5/26 “My experience caring for my Nona at home and watching the visiting nurse greatly impacted my decision for home care,” shares Katina Zaninovich, RN. ... The history of visiting nurses dates back to the 19th century, when rapid urbanization and widespread poverty created a need for healthcare services beyond hospitals. In 1908, a visiting nurse, Marian Watts, founded the Visiting Nurses Association of Santa Barbara, California’s third oldest VNA. In that first month, one visiting nurse made 140 visits. Today, ...

The financial and social costs of caregiving: 2026 U.S. News survey U.S. News & World Report; by Annika Urban; 5/4/26 For many of the more than 60 million American caregivers, small acts of love to help out a loved one escalate into a major commitment. This 2026 U.S. News survey examines the emotional and financial burden of caregiving and how home health agencies fit into their support network.

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. 

Hospice nurses are changing how we care for patients at the end-of-life South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report; by Karen Peterson; 5/1/26 Hospice nurses are often associated with compassion at the end of life. What is less understood is that they are also among the most clinically skilled nurses in healthcare. During National Nurses Week (May 6-12), it is important to recognize the many ways nurses shape patient care across the continuum. Hospice nursing is not a step away from acute care. It is an extension of it. ... A hospice nurse may be called to a patient’s home late at night for uncontrolled pain or severe shortness of breath .... In that moment, the nurse must assess, intervene and stabilize, while also supporting the family through fear and uncertainty. 

Local boy becomes honorary doctor with Hospice Family Care teamFox 54, Huntsville, AL; by Caleb Aguayo; 4/24/26 A young boy battling what his caretakers call a "likely incurable disease" got to live out a dream Friday when his hospice care team made him an honorary doctor for the day, complete with scrubs, a white coat bearing his name, a name tag and his very own stethoscope. Abobakr Almageleh, who has spent years surrounded by medical equipment, has long shown a fascination with the tools and routines of the health care professionals caring for him, from listening to his own heartbeat to tracking the rhythm of monitors nearby. His caregivers at Hospice Family Care took notice.