Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Clinical News | Physician & Nursing News.”
“Can We Talk?” A community-based training to improve serious illness communication
01/09/26 at 03:00 AM“Can We Talk?” A community-based training to improve serious illness communication Home Healthcare Now; by Ashley Kaminski Petkis, DNP, APRN, AGACNP-BC and Eric Hackenson, DPT; Jan/Feb 2026 Serious illness conversations (SICs) are often delayed or avoided in community-based healthcare due to clinician discomfort and lack of training. Given that many patients wish to die at home, yet often do not, there is a need for structured communication training in home care and hospice settings to ensure the care we provide aligns with patient and family preferences. ... By embedding SIC training within a community-based organization, this work demonstrated how modest interventions can catalyze a change in practice, reinforcing the idea that SICs are a standard of quality care rather than an optional enhancement.
Home-based care type II workplace violence nurse provider experience a literature review
01/08/26 at 03:00 AMHome-based care type II workplace violence nurse provider experience a literature review Home Healthcare Now; by LaDawna Goering DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, BC-ADM, CDP and Tracy Ashby, MLIS; Jan/Feb 2026 Home-based healthcare workers are at risk of violence from patients or visitors, known as Type II workplace violence (WPV). A review of studies from 2014 to 2024 found that WPV in home care is often underreported, and current training programs are not tailored for home settings. This leaves workers vulnerable to physical and psychological harm. The review suggests the need for specialized training for home care providers, focusing on patient screening, situational awareness, and de-escalation techniques. Future efforts should aim to create specific WPV prevention and reporting protocols to enhance safety and accountability in home healthcare.
Dying with dignity - personal perspective: The sacred ending we don’t talk about enough.
01/07/26 at 03:00 AMDying with dignity - personal perspective: The sacred ending we don’t talk about enough. Psychology Today; by Cynthia Chen-Joea DO, MPH, FAAFP, DABOM; 12/24/25 In the U.S., we spend enormous amounts of energy keeping people alive, curing, fixing, and prolonging life at all costs. What we rarely talk about is how people die. And more importantly, how poorly our system supports them when the end is clearly approaching. ... [Background story about her dad's Parkinson's and eventual death] ... Then came our request for hospice. After an evaluation, we were told he didn’t “qualify” because he had gained some weight and his albumin levels were “too high.” An arbitrary checklist, based on labs values, prevented him from getting into hospice. [Keep reading] So we tried for palliative care instead. I made call after call, only to be bounced between departments, many unclear on the difference between hospice and palliative care, ... Even as a physician, I was stunned by how many barriers we encountered simply trying to do the most humane thing: to advocate for dignity, comfort, and respect at the end of my father’s life.
Creating and sustaining a culture of excellence
01/07/26 at 03:00 AMCreating and sustaining a culture of excellence American Nurse; by Aileen Cassada, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NRP, and Holly Puckett, DNP, RN, CNE, CMSRN; 1/5/26 Takeaways:
Reconnecting at the end: The healing power of nature in hospice and palliative care
01/07/26 at 03:00 AMReconnecting at the end: The healing power of nature in hospice and palliative care ehospice; by Dr. Owen Wiseman; 1/5/26 ... Humans are wired to feel better in nature. We feel calmer when we see the colour green or hear water flowing from a stream nearby. ... Evidence shows that simply viewing nature can reduce pain, anxiety, and stress. In one of the most-cited studies, patients recovering from surgery who had window views of nature used 21% fewer pain medications and shortened hospital stays. ... I’ve had a front-row seat to the power of nature in palliative care, both professionally and personally. ...Small Ways to Bring Nature In - Not every hospice or palliative care space has access to large gardens or forests. That said, nature can still find a way in:
Physicians’ end-of-life choices: a surprising study
01/07/26 at 03:00 AMPhysicians’ end-of-life choices: a surprising study Medpage Today's KevinMD.com; by M. Bennet Broner, PhD; 1/3/26 In July, I wrote about the importance of end-of-life planning (EOL). Shortly after, I read a study that examined physicians’ EOL plans with advanced cancer and Alzheimer’s disease (stage unspecified). The study encompassed nations with different forms of aid in dying, from the U.S., where a terminal coma is the only option most states allow, to Belgium, where physician-assisted dying (PAD) and euthanasia are available. Although the term suicide has been used for PAD, it is incorrect, as no one who chooses these options desires to die; they just want a choice in how and when they do so. ... One would assume, as the researchers did, that physicians would utilize all available medical technology. However, they found that end-of-life choices were nuanced decisions. ...
'It’s comfort, dignity and time': Agrace receives CuddleCot donation from JackPack
01/06/26 at 03:00 AM'It’s comfort, dignity and time': Agrace receives CuddleCot donation from JackPack GazetteXtra, Janesville, WI; by Kylie Balk-Yaatenen; 1/4/26 For nearly a decade, a Janesville family has worked to ensure that parents facing the loss of a baby are given something they themselves never had: Time. Through The Jack Pack, a local nonprofit founded after the stillbirth of their son, Jack, in 2015, Jackie Harwick and her husband, Garrick, have donated 14 CuddleCots to hospitals and hospice providers across southern Wisconsin. Their most recent donation went to ... Agrace’s pediatric hospice program. A CuddleCot is a temperature-controlled bassinet insert that slows natural changes after death, allowing families to spend extended time with their baby; ... That time can allow parents to hold their child, invite loved ones to meet the baby, create memories and begin grieving in a more supported way.
How to work clinically and ethically with chatbots and AI
01/05/26 at 03:00 AMHow to work clinically and ethically with chatbots and AI Medscape; by Arthur L. Caplan, PhD; 12/30/25 Hi. I’m Art Caplan. I’m at the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. I’m getting an interesting question from many doctors from different specialties, and also from more primary care people. How do I work clinically and ethically with chatbots and artificial intelligence? They’re not asking about making appointments or handling data behind the scenes. They want to know, in dealing with patients, how do I do this and do this right? ...
Teaching primary palliative nursing care: A model of competency-based education
01/03/26 at 03:05 AMTeaching primary palliative nursing care: A model of competency-based educationJournal of Professional Nursing; by Hannah Murphy Buc, Melissa McClean, Janet Armstead Wulf; Jan-Feb 2026Holistic care models such as primary palliative care offer individuals a coordinated, interprofessional and compassionate approach in any healthcare setting regardless of condition. Currently, palliative and end-of-life nursing care content is either threaded throughout nursing curricula or not included at all. This article documents the development of a required primary palliative care course in a baccalaureate nursing program and shares recommendations on competency-based teaching and evaluation methods to encourage implementation in other academic nursing settings. Course evaluations indicate that the class was well received and valuable to students' learning experience.
Medical Aid in Dying legislation and the limits of prognostic science
01/02/26 at 03:00 AMMedical Aid in Dying legislation and the limits of prognostic science American Council on Science and Health; by Chuck Dinerstein, MD, MBA; 1/2/26... End-of-life issues are complex because empirical questions (what happens, works, or harms) that can be approached by science are deeply entangled with value questions (what should count as a good death, autonomy, dignity, moral limits). The recent decision by Governor Hochul of New York to advance and promise to sign a Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) bill provides us with the opportunity to consider that entanglement.
Alzheimer's: When is it time to consider hospice care?
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMAlzheimer's: When is it time to consider hospice care? The Advocate, Baton Rouge, LA; by Dana Territo; 12/29/25 ... Since the span of Alzheimer's disease can run from seven to 20 years, it is often difficult to know when the person warrants hospice care. Generally, an individual with Alzheimer's is ready for a hospice referral when they become severely impaired in function, (no longer can walk or feed themselves); when the person has become incontinent; when they experience frequent choking episodes or have difficulty in breathing, are unable to speak or communicate meaningfully (limited to about a half dozen or fewer intelligible words), or have significant weight loss. ...Editor's Note: This local advocacy article provides important information for all hospices, with references to their state organization--Louisiana-Missisippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization--for ongoing resources.
What makes a ‘good’ death? Former Durango hospice director reflects
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMWhat makes a ‘good’ death? Former Durango hospice director reflects The Durango Herald, Durango, CO; by Jessica Bowman; 12/28/25 What is a “good” death? That’s up to each of us to decide for ourselves, said Anne Rossignol, former director of Mercy Hospice House. Rossignol said it’s a question more people should be asking themselves – and sooner. ... She earned her medical degree in 1999 and completed an internal medicine residency through the U.S. Army, where she served as a flight surgeon and completed two tours in Iraq. It was during her time at an Army hospital – where she guided patients and families through life-or-death decisions – that she felt drawn to palliative care. “These big soldiers in their uniforms would sit down with these families to talk about the end of life, and they’d be crying, and the families would be crying. It was so beautiful,” Rossignol said. ...
Hospice job vacancy rates fall in 2025; nurse wage gains slow
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMHospice job vacancy rates fall in 2025; nurse wage gains slow Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/29/25 Job vacancies among hospice employers dropped to 12.78% in 2025 from 14.03% in 2024. Meanwhile, the rate of pay increases for registered nurses has fallen to 3.58% this year, compared to 2024’s 3.97%. This is according to a new salary and benefits report by the Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service (HCS), the National Alliance for Care at Home and LeadingAge. The report also identified a decline in registered nurse turnover among hospices, to 25.48% from 26.82% year over year.
Patients with hematologic cancers value blood transfusions most in hospice services
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMPatients with hematologic cancers value blood transfusions most in hospice services Healio; by Josh Friedman; 12/29/25 Key takeaways:
Interprofessional collaboration between hospital-based palliative care teams and hospital ward staff: A realist review
12/29/25 at 02:00 AMInterprofessional collaboration between hospital-based palliative care teams and hospital ward staff: A realist review PLoS One; by Louana Moons, Fouke Ombelet, Mieke Deschodt, Maaike L De Roo, Eva Oldenburger, Inge Bossuyt, Peter Pype; 12/19/25 Conclusion: This realist review highlights the complexity of interprofessional collaboration between PCTs and ward staff, emphasizing the importance of tailored approaches that address specific contextual needs, expectations, and norms. Strengthening positive attitudes, clarifying roles, and fostering partnerships can enhance interprofessional collaboration, ultimately improving palliative care quality in hospital settings.
The phenomenon of end-of-life dreams and visions through the eyes of nurses
12/27/25 at 03:00 AMThe dying man who gave me flowers changed how I see care
12/24/25 at 01:35 AMThe dying man who gave me flowers changed how I see care MedPageToday's KevinMD.com; by Augusta Uwah, MD; 9/2/25 Today for the first time, I got flowers from a grateful patient. And I reflect on how rough the week has been, all the things that seemed impossible and insurmountable, and everything that has brought me to this point. The patient is going on hospice, he’s going to die, yet he felt that I made a significant impact that he wanted to show his gratitude. And that almost brought me to tears. ...
Hands
12/24/25 at 01:20 AMHands Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA); by R. Jordan Williams, MD, MPH; 8/13/25Lend me your hand Callused or calaminedWrinkled or plump,Nails bittenNails extendedSplintered and pittedNails neatly or never cropped.Lend me your hand Strong or weak Cold or warmingSwollen and swanned; Gnarled in knots ...Editor's Note: Continue reading this powerful poem. Additionally, JAMA published this description of the poem, "Poetry and the Medicine of Touch" by Rafael Campo, MD, MA: "In this deeply felt poem, the hand becomes a potent metaphor for our shared humanity ... Aspiring clinicians are still taught to assess, to palpate, to diagnose through touch. Yet, as “Hands” reminds us, patients’ hands hold far more than clinical signs—they reflect stories, histories, fears, and hopes. ..."
Palliative pearls: Top 3 clinical case studies and reviews in 2025 from Enclara Pharmacia
12/22/25 at 03:00 AMPalliative pearls: Top 3 clinical case studies and reviews in 2025 from Enclara Pharmacia Enclara Pharmacia; Press Release; 12/12/25 This year’s Palliative Pearls case studies explored a variety of topics, from basic prescribing decisions to exploring the full continuum of care. If there’s a theme to be found among the three most popular installments of 2025, it’s how much hospice prescribing and practice really differ from other areas of healthcare. ...
Hospice Insights Podcast - Hospital to Hospice: Managing referrals and relationships
12/22/25 at 03:00 AMHospice Insights podcast - Hospital to Hospice: Managing referrals and relationships JD Supra; by Bryan Nowicki and Meg Pekarske, Husch Blackwell LLP; 12/17/24 A common referral scenario involves hospital clinicians referring a dying patient to hospice. This circumstance gives rise to questions relating to hospice eligibility, the appropriate level of hospice care, and the expectation of the patient and the hospital. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Bryan Nowicki address these questions and provide insights into effectively managing this situation.
End-of-life care needs cultural humility and social justice
12/22/25 at 02:00 AMEnd-of-life care needs cultural humility and social justice BMJ; by Jamilla Akhter Hussain, Rekha Vijayshankar, and Mary Hodgson; 12/18/25 Death, dying, and grief are not medical events—they are profoundly social, relational, and shaped by the histories people carry into their final days. ... [A] key question is: how can end-of-life care services become more trustworthy? Too often, institutions respond with so-called cultural competency initiatives. ... What is needed is cultural humility and social justice. Cultural humility involves ongoing self-reflection and acknowledgement of bias at individual, organisational, and system levels. Palliative care must prioritise cultural humility and social justice: trust grows not through outreach alone but through shared creation of knowledge, meaning, and care—and at the end of life ...
Staying connected: A longitudinal, multisite, interprofessional rural fellowship collaboration
12/20/25 at 03:25 AMStaying connected: A longitudinal, multisite, interprofessional rural fellowship collaborationJournal of Pain & Symptom Management; by Rhianon R. Liu, Rebecca N. Hutchinson, Stephen H. Berns, Nastasha Stitham, Jackie Fournier, John W. Wax MD , Lisa A. Stephens, Jonathan S. Jolin, Maxwell T. Vergo; 11/25Four interprofessional Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) fellowship programs in rural northern New England states created an in-person educational retreat series. The goal of the series was to maximize shared educational resources and foster community amongst faculty and fellows, in an upstream attempt to improve recruitment/retention of clinicians in three rural states with inadequate access to specialty palliative care. At least 88% of fellows rated the retreats effective in strengthening their clinical, communication, teamwork, and leadership skills. Over four-fifths of faculty and fellows felt the retreats increased their sense of belonging and decreased professional isolation. The retreats were a top factor influencing fellowship choice for 29% of fellows, as well as a major incentive to remain practicing in the region for 32% of faculty.
[South Korea] Factors influencing burnout among hospice and palliative care ward nurses
12/20/25 at 03:05 AM[South Korea] Factors influencing burnout among hospice and palliative care ward nursesJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Young-Mi Kim, Chieun Song, Jeoungmin Park; 11/25This study aimed to identify the factors influencing burnout among nurses in hospice and palliative care units. This descriptive correlational study investigated the effects of nursing practice environment, resilience, and nurses' character on burnout among hospice and palliative care ward nurses. The participants were 217 nurses working in hospice wards of 20 institutions selected from the 88 inpatient hospice and palliative care institutions designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in South Korea, as of 2021. The results showed that a better nursing practice environment and higher resilience were positively associated with lower burnout. Among hospice and palliative care nurses, being in their 30s and having fewer than 5 years of total clinical experience were associated with higher burnout.
The results are in: Palliative care professionals share how they’re doing in 2025
12/19/25 at 03:00 AMThe results are in: Palliative care professionals share how they’re doing in 2025Center to Advance Palliative Care - CAPC; by Rachael Heitner, MPH; 12/16/25 CAPC’s second annual Palliative Pulse survey offers insight on how palliative care professionals across the country are feeling this year and what they’re focused on—see how they responded. ... In this blog, we share four key findings from participants’ self-reports and take a closer look at the data behind each one. ...