Literature Review

Maine university adds unique course to help with end-of-life careWMTW-TVDecember 14, 2023Biddeford, ME—The University of New England Online is adding several new programs, including one designed to help improve end-of-life care in Maine. The End of Life Doula program is an eight-week, fully online course designed to provide students with the skills needed to provide compassionate, informed and supportive care for people and their families dealing with terminal illnesses or are nearing the end of their life. 

Nurses at Prime hospital approve labor dealBecker’s Hospital ReviewDecember 13, 2023Members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals have approved a new labor contract with Prime Healthcare’s St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, Calif. The contract, approved by 81% of voting union members, covers 600 registered nurses at the medical center, according to a Dec. 13 UNAC/UHCP news release. 

Nurses at Suburban Community and Lower Bucks Hospital authorize strike amid contract negotiation stalematePhiladelphia InquirerDecember 12, 2023Bucks County, PA—Nurses at Suburban Community Hospital and Lower Bucks Hospital sent a message to their executives: ‘Tis the season for a new contract—or a strike. The contracts affecting roughly 200 nurses at both hospitals expired Oct. 12. Last week, nurses at Suburban Community voted to authorize a strike. 

22 states to increase minimum wage on Jan. 1McKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 13, 2023Almost half of the states, along with 40 local jurisdictions, are set to ring in 2024 with increases to minimum wage, according to Polsinelli law firm. The 22 states with minimum wage increases coming in the new year: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Washington. 

Washington, D.C., Needs to Address Hospice Care Utilization DisparitiesBy Donna Gayles and Audrey EasawWashington (DC) InformerDecember 13, 2023Our nation’s capital ranks high in many things, from access to outdoor activities and number of museums to its ethnic and cultural diversity and vibrant LGBTQ+ population. But the city lags far behind in one key area: hospice care utilization. While on average, just under half of Medicare decedents are in hospice care at their time of death, in the District of Columbia, only 25% are—ranking lower than 49 of the 50 states. This is especially meaningful when considering how medical mistrust plays into this underutilization among the city’s extremely diverse population. 

Assaults on healthcare workers now carry enhanced criminal finesMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 12, 2023Michigan is the latest state to codify protections for healthcare workers assaulted on the job, which one senior living association said will positively impact the state’s workforce shortage problem. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) recently signed into law two bills that create enhanced criminal fines for assaults, aggravated assaults and assaults with a deadly weapon against health professionals or volunteers while on the job. ... In signing the bills, Whitmer said healthcare workers face “rising rates of bullying, viciousness and violence.” 

Workers set to strike at 4 Prime hospitalsBecker’s Hospital ReviewDecember 11, 2023Members of the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West are set to launch a five-day strike Dec. 20 affecting four Prime Healthcare facilities in Southern California. The union represents about 1,800 workers ... Union members, which include emergency room technicians, licensed vocational nurses, certified nursing assistants, radiology technicians, medical assistants, respiratory technicians, and others, voted to authorize a strike earlier this year. 

Palliative Care Yield Cost Savings Lymphoma Patients, But Racial Disparities ExistPalliative Care NewsDecember 12, 2023Lymphoma patients who receive palliative care have fewer hospitalizations that those who do not, but racial and ethnic disparities persist. ... The study found that on average palliative care generated cost savings of $24,269 per patient. However, patients that identified as Black or Hispanic were much less likely to receive palliative care than white patients, reflecting widespread inequities in palliative care and the health care system at large, the research found. 

A Wish Come True—8-year-old in hospice goal surpassed by 10,000 cards and giftsWEWS-TV (Cleveland, OH)December 12, 2023Conesville, OH—Last week, we talked about a little boy in hospice who wished for 2,000 birthday and Christmas cards; after that, so many of you reached out, wanting to know an update! ... They got more than 13,000 cards and gifts from across the nation. On Tuesday, UPS picked up the packages and cards from the Community Hospice center and hand-delivered them to Andrew’s home where he was overwhelmed and in shock at how much there was. The boxes filled their kitchen, barely leaving standing room, but more importantly, they brought Andrew the holiday joy he needed.

Nurses at University Medical Center vote to unionize, a Louisiana firstTimes-Picayune (New Orleans, LA)December 10, 2023LCMC Health’s University Medical Center nurses voted to join National Nurses United, the largest U.S. union for registered nurses, after a three-day vote that ended Saturday night. The union will be Louisiana’s first among health care workers. It is also one of the state’s largest, with 598 eligible members. More than 90% of eligible nurses voted in the election. Of those who voted, 82% voted in favor of the union, according to National Nurses United. ... Officials at UMC acknowledged the union and said they would “continue to work with the National Labor Relations Board and operate consistently with the processes established by the National Labor Relations Act.” ... Next, the union will be certified by the National Labor Relations Board. Negotiations and bargaining on a contract come after that. ... The union includes registered nurses who are full-time, part-time and per diem, along with clinic nurses and nurse practitioners.

Oxford's 2023 Word of the Year Is...New York Times, 12/9/23"Rizz" - the Gen Z slang term for "charisma". Sorry Swifties, not this year!

Ascension nurses begin strikesBecker’s Hospital ReviewDecember 7, 2023Nurses at three Ascension hospitals in Texas and Kansas began one-day strikes Dec. 6, marking the second strikes for each hospital this year. The strikes involve members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of National Nurses United. ... Union members have been in contract negotiations at the two Wichita hospitals since February 2023 and at the 391-bed Austin hospital since November 2022. They are striking to call attention to equipment and staffing issues at their organizations, according to NNU. ... “Patient safety is our top priority, and our hospitals remain open and well-prepared to continue to provide patient-centered, holistic care during these strikes,” an Ascension spokesperson told Becker’s on Dec. 6.