Literature Review

31 shocking confessions people made to their doctors and nurses on their deathbed BussFeed; by Hannah Marder; 11/12/25 Being on your deathbed puts everything into perspective, and sometimes, the dying have something big to get off their chests. No one knows this better than those who work with the dying, who bear witness to these disturbing confessions. ...Editor's Note: This BuzzFeed feature compiles unverified, anonymous accounts of “deathbed confessions” shared by clinicians online. While written for popular appeal, it touches a truth familiar to hospice and palliative professionals: dying patients often reveal deeply held truths when facing the end. We share it as a reminder that such moments call for clinical steadiness, ethical awareness, and the presence of board-certified chaplains—those uniquely trained to meet these revelations with compassion and care.

NCPA and USC launch first publicly available tool to identify pharmacy shortage areas across America National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 11/4/25 The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), in collaboration with the University of Southern California (USC), unveiled an interactive, user-friendly pharmacy shortage area mapping tool available to the general public for the first time. Previously accessible only to select individuals and organizations, the public [can now] identify pharmacy shortage areas and understand access challenges in their local communities. ... The mapping tool reveals that approximately one in eight U.S. neighborhoods — representing millions of Americans — persistently lack convenient access to pharmacy services. In rural areas and underserved urban communities, the problem is far more severe, with some states and counties experiencing shortage rates approaching 50 percent.

Pidgie Chapman marks nearly four decades as a hospice volunteer The Pilot; by Maggie Boncurrter; 11/7/25 The ladies weren’t exactly Thelma and Louise of big screen fame, but they probably looked very similar driving through the Moore County community of Addor. FirstHealth Hospice volunteer Pidgie Chapman had a patient decades ago who loved to dress up and wear fancy hats. Chapman had quite the chapeau collection, so she presented her patient with a giant, floppy hat while donning a similar one. “In those days we could drive our patients around,” said Chapman, who has been a hospice volunteer since 1986. “We got in the car and visited all her friends – in our hats. She was absolutely delighted.” ... Chapman is one of the area’s most seasoned hospice volunteers, starting her career soon after the philosophy of care took hold in Moore County. 

Early lessons learned implementing the dementia-focused GUIDE modelHealthcare Innovation; by David Raths; 11/5/25At NAACOS meeting, Bluestone ACO’s Nate Hunkins, M.P.H., described how GUIDE care navigators are complementing its advanced primary care model. Key highlights:

Don’t kick your bucket list, UT Arlington study says Texas Standard; by Laura Rice and Kaye Knoll; 11/3/25 You’re likely familiar with the concept of a bucket list: a list of things you want to do before you die, or “kick the bucket.” It’s a reminder to make every day count, and make your dreams come true. When it comes to those final days, though, it turns out that dreams can make dying a little less of a downer. According to a new study from the University of Texas at Arlington, making and fulfilling a bucket list as part of end-of-life care can help reduce anxiety and depression, provide hope to struggling patients and give families a chance to bond one last time. 

Four nurses in two weeks assaulted at Essentia Hospitals: Nurses say violence is a consequence of unsafe staffing and inaction Minnesota Nurses Association, Brainer, MN; Press Release; 10/28/25Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) are once again outraged and deeply concerned after two more violent assaults on nurses at Essentia Health. A nurse at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd was attacked by a patient last Thursday, followed by another assault at the same facility over the weekend. The latest incidents come less than two weeks after two nurses were injured at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. Four nurses assaulted in under two weeks reflects a dangerous pattern in Essentia facilities—one that nurses have been warning about for years.Editor's Note: Continue reading for preventable actions and red flags, "True safety comes from care-based prevention." These were hospital settings; the home care settings your staff and volunteers enter provide much higher risks with less control. Ask your direct care staff for examples of professional situations that were unsafe. Office-based leaders, you might be surprised. Examine your workplace violence policies, procedures, trainings, incident reporting, and follow-up.

The emerging role of osteopathic manipulative medicine in enhancing quality of life for palliative and end-of-life patients: A narrative review Cureus; Ambrose Loc T Ngo, Linda Nguyen, Cynthia Shahbandeh, Jared Nichols; 9/26/25... This narrative review synthesizes current clinical evidence on the application of OMM in palliative and end-of-life care, focusing on its potential to manage multiple distressing symptoms, including pain, respiratory distress, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, edema, and psychological stress. The review aims to provide an integrative understanding of [osteopathic manipulative medicine] OMM's role in symptom management, identify evidence gaps, and propose directions for future research.

[United Kingdom] New end-of-life checklist designed to remove stress in time of crisis Independent; by Aine Fox; 10/27/25 Marie Curie has published an end-of-life checklist to encourage the public to think about their end-of-life care. The list, curated by clinicians, covers everything from wills to wakes and what we might want to happen to pets and social media accounts when we die. The document features five categories, including legal and money matters, people, pets and things important to me, an advance care plan, my funeral, a wake or celebration of life, and making and leaving behind memories. Editor's Note: To download USA Advance Directives for each state, visit (1) CaringInfo (set up by NHPCO 15+ years ago), A Program of the National Alliance for Care at Home, or (2) AARP's Find Advance Directives Forms by State (uses CaringInfo's form, but more user-friendly navigation).

Stitched with love: Allied’s memory bears offer comfort to grieving families in Northeast Pennsylvania WVIA News - PBS/NPR, Scranton, PA; by Lydia McFarlane; 10/27/25 Barbara Rushinski received a bear made of her partner’s pajamas after he passed in hospice care at Allied Services. She was so moved, she put her sewing skills to good use and joined the team of volunteers making the bears for grieving families in Northeast Pennsylvania. ... Allied offers its memory bears to grieving families whose loved ones died in hospice. ... Joyce Wizda started the program at Allied more than six years ago when she joined the healthcare system as a social worker. ... She estimates the volunteers make about 150 bears a year. ... Wizda encourages families to send in clothing items from their loved one’s closet to ease their grieving journey.

Hospice chaplains play key role in addressing emotional pain, VITAS spiritual lead explains McKnights Home Care; by Foster Stubbs; 10/26/25 In hospice care, maintaining the comfort and dignity of the patient are top priorities for clinicians. But there are some aspects of the end-of-life experience that they are not equipped to handle. That’s where hospice chaplains like Jason Cooper, national spiritual lead at VITAS Healthcare, come in.  ... In hospice care, maintaining the comfort and dignity of the patient are top priorities for clinicians. But there are some aspects of the end-of-life experience that they are not equipped to handle. That’s where hospice chaplains like Jason Cooper, national spiritual lead at VITAS Healthcare, come in. In his role, Cooper supports over 300 chaplains and spiritual caregivers and up to 23,000 patients with terminal diagnoses nationwide. 

How to manage financial caregiving for an aging parent AOL.com; by Kerry Hannon; 10/25/25Steering end-of-life financial decisions for an aging parent is not a job many of us would choose. But we do — and feel our way through the messy emotions as best we can. ...[From an interview:] "[Your mom] was rejected for hospice care, which is covered by Medicare. Can you elaborate on that?""That was just such a slap in the face because it's a hard decision to go to hospice. ... My mom made that decision for herself, but my brother, the doctors, and me had to be on board with it in order for her to do it. The only reason they rejected her is because they thought she would be too costly. They do a cost-benefit analysis of how long that person is going to last— how much [in] resources is she going to consume? They decided that her diagnosis was too murky to justify putting her on hospice at that point. I finally found another hospice company to accept her. And she died in two weeks."

Veterans with burdened caregivers more likely to enter nursing homes, study findsMcKnight's Home Care; by Foster Stubbs; 9/30/25Veterans whose family caregivers reported higher emotional burden and depression were more likely to be admitted to nursing homes after three-year follow-ups, according to a September study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.Publisher's note: Perhaps higher emotional burden and depression among family caregivers of veterans occurs in hospice, too.

Why doctors hesitate to say ‘I'm sorry’ after errorsMedscape; by Paolo Spriano; 10/17/25Apologies are commonly defined as “a regretful acknowledgment of an offense or failure; a formal, public statement of regret.” In healthcare, apologies offered with honesty and transparency are an essential part of addressing medical errors. An effective apology acknowledges what happened, accepts responsibility, and expresses sincere regret for the patient’s suffering. When done properly, an apology can have profound healing effects for everyone involved. For clinicians, it can help ease feelings of guilt and shame; for patients, it can foster forgiveness and form the basis for reconciliation.