Literature Review

Medical aid in dying law would force Long Island Catholic nuns, ministries to 'abandon' their beliefs, Federal suit claimsNewsday; by Robert Brodsky; 7/21/26 A new [New York] state law that would allow life-ending medication to be made available to some terminally ill residents will force Catholic nuns and ministries, including several from Long Island, to "abandon their religious beliefs" or face fines, according to a federal lawsuit seeking to force changes to the law before it goes into effect next month. On Friday, four orders of Catholic nuns, including the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, which operates St. Joseph's Home for the Aged, an assisted living facility in Huntington, were joined by the Rockville Centre Diocese and the Catholic Health System of Long Island in filing the suit in New York's Northern District. 

Religious scripts for dying The Christian Century; by Aaron Klink; 7/20/26 Travis Pickell explores the moral burden placed on those who face end-of-life medical decisions but lack communal support. Amid much conversation about end-of-life care—its methods, costs, and ethics—there is little sustained attention to the question of why this subject generates so much political and moral controversy. The blame is sometimes placed on advances in medical technologies (such as ventilators and artificial nutrition and hydration) or in treatments (such as kidney dialysis and aggressive chemotherapy). But the reality is more complicated, argues Travis Pickell in Burdened Agency - Christian Theology and End-of-Life Ethics. ... Pickell devotes much of the book to exploring various theological understandings of death and outlining the “scripts for dying” created by each theology. 

 Former Skowhegan nonprofit director seeks early end to probation for thefts CentralMaine.com, Skowhegan, ME; by Jake Freudber; 7/8/26 Jason Gayne has paid the $70,000 in restitution owed to the Skowhegan Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Hospice Volunteers of Somerset County. ... Gayne has completed hundreds of hours of community service, well beyond what he was ordered to do. He has focused on providing for his family. And he has never violated the conditions of his probation. ... Now Superior Court Chief Justice Robert E. Mullen will determine whether to approve Gayne’s request for an early end to his probation. Gayne’s request, if granted, would effectively shave two years from the term included in his sentence.

HMN 2026: How AI in nursing raises questions about safety, ethics, and human care Health Medicine Network; by University of Pennsylvania, George Demiris et al; 6/26/26 As artificial intelligence systems spread through hospitals and clinics, a growing debate is emerging over whether the technology will ultimately strengthen nursing care—or gradually replace parts of it. That tension is at the center of a new University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing report, “Artificial Intelligence and Nursing Science: Opportunities, Challenges, Implications, and Guidelines,” published in Nursing Outlook. The paper warns that while AI could reduce paperwork and improve patient monitoring, it also raises concerns about bias, accountability, patient privacy and whether hospitals may view some nursing functions as replaceable.

Dying patients shouldn’t have to choose between dia­lysis care and com­fort The Boston Globe, Boston, MA; by Patricia Ramsden; 6/22/26 ... Medi­care cur­rently requires most end-stage kid­ney fail­ure patients to choose between dia­lysis and hos­pice bene­fits. ... People dying from other ter­minal ill­nesses do not face this harsh choice. For sev­eral years, Dia­lysis Clinic, Inc. (DCI), the only national not-for-profit dia­lysis organ­iz­a­tion, has col­lab­or­ated with not-for-profit hos­pice organ­iz­a­tions to offer con­cur­rent pal­li­at­ive dia­lysis and hos­pice care to selec­ted patients in Ten­nessee and West­ern Pennsylvania. A 2026 col­lab­or­a­tion between DCI and Care Dimen­sions, the largest hos­pice pro­vider in the state, expan­ded that model to East­ern Mas­sachu­setts. However, this innov­at­ive pro­gram, rely­ing on phil­an­thropic fund­ing, remains avail­able only to a few patients.

 The impact of assisted dying legislation on nursing practice in palliative care: a scoping review Journal of Advanced Nursing; by Marlene Werner, Christiane Kreyer, Sabine Pleschberger; 6/5/26 Aim: To review the literature on the state of research on the impacts of assisted dying on nursing practice within specialised palliative care. Results: Fifteen studies published between 2019 and 2024, all from Canada or the United States, met the inclusion criteria. Three themes were identified: (1) positioning and meaning, describing how nurses are required to position themselves and to renegotiate their values; (2) impact on core competencies, capturing changes in key nursing responsibilities; and (3) challenges in interpersonal relationships, referring to increased team conflicts and shifts in relationships with patients and their families. 

UChicago expands its offerings in biomedical ethics NewsWise; by University of Chicago Medical Center; 5/22/26 The University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division is expanding its educational opportunities in biomedical ethics with two new offerings: a biomedical ethics concentration within its Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (BMS) program and a new online biomedical ethics certificate through the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. Together, the offerings are designed to meet growing demand from students and healthcare professionals seeking formal training in how to navigate ethical questions in medicine, research, and patient care. ... 

Proposing a framework to license autonomous clinical AI: as autonomous clinical AI continues to evolve, we need uniform regulatory standards, says LDI Fellow Penn LDI - Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics; by Alon Bergman, PhD; 5/15/26 Late last month, Utah’s Medical Licensing Board called for the immediate suspension of the state’s pilot program with the AI company Doctronic. The program lets a chatbot evaluate patients and recommend prescription renewals for nearly 200 chronic condition drugs, with the state planning to phase out physician review of each case. The board said that it only learned about the pilot after it had launched. Its warning was blunt: proceeding without proper clinical oversight “potentially places Utah citizens at risk.” ... Utah is one of at least 47 states now considering more than 250 bills governing clinical AI, producing a patchwork of rules on bias audits, payment policy, and patient consent.Editor's Note: See related article by the same author Alon Bergman, AI doctors should be licensed. Here’s a framework to do that: Utah's pilot program with Doctronic shows that federal action is necessary. 

How do physicians perceive and manage the influence of their personal end-of-life preferences on clinical practice and end-of-life decision-making with patients? An international qualitative study  Health and Medicine Daily | Palliative Care and Social Practice; research portion by Sarah Mroz, Frederick Daenen, and Kenneth Chambaere; 5/5/26 ... Physicians acknowledge the impact of their personal end-of-life preferences on their clinical practice and emphasize the importance of maintaining objectivity and centering decision-making on patient preferences. Physicians adopt strategies to mitigate potential biases. There is a divergence of opinion about whether it is appropriate to share when asked what they would do in the position of their patients. Most believe focusing on patients' values and priorities is essential and others feel sharing is crucial to maintain trust. Physicians struggle with ethical tensions and moral discomfort, particularly when patients' requests conflict with their beliefs. ...

Nearly 40% of physicians report high moral distress, which significantly increases burnout Healio; by Josh Friedman; 4/21/26 An AMA survey of more than 9,000 individuals showed nearly 40% of physicians report high levels of moral distress, yet most U.S. adults experience none at their occupation. Physicians who reported high levels of moral distress had a significantly higher likelihood of burnout symptoms and intent to leave the profession. “Physicians want to do what they believe is right for patients. That’s what we want all health care professionals to do, prioritize patient care,” Michael A. Tutty, PhD, MHA, group vice president of professional satisfaction and practice sustainability at AMA, told Healio. “Leaders need to think about how we can reduce or eliminate those ethical challenges that make it harder for physicians to provide high-quality patient care.”

Woman indicted for mother's death turns tragedy into advocacy WJBF-6 ABC News, Augusta, GA; by Kim Vickers; 4/16/26 A woman is speaking out after she was indicted last year for the death of her mother. Rachel Waters gave her mother morphine provided by a hospice company, which authorities believed led to the woman’s death. Six months later, the charges were dropped. Now, Waters is turning her experience into something positive. ... Foster was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and bone cancer and eventually her oncologist recommended home hospice care. The hospice company prescribed an end-of-life care kit for Waters to use when Foster needed it. End-of-life care kits contain several drugs specific to the patient’s needs, including liquid morphine. We spoke to several Hospice nurses who told us they are commonly prescribed to families and caregivers to administer to their loved one.

Managing clinical uncertainty Baylor College of Medicine; by Dr. Avni M. Kapadia and Dr. Hannah L. Kirsch; 4/10/26 In the day-to-day routine of critical care physicians, end-of-life care and medical ethics are frequently incorporated into comprehensive care plans. What happens when the laws impede the ability to honor family wishes? ... Recent ethical debates surrounding the care of brain-dead or severely neurologically injured pregnant patients highlight growing tension between clinical ethics and public policy. These cases are medically complex and emotionally devastating for families. But cases involving pregnancy and severe neurological injury also are especially difficult for the medical team.