Literature Review

Hospice care has increased in Minnesota, but some nurses are set to strike MINNPOST; by Maddie Robinson; 9/4/26 Allina Health hospice nurses are demanding better pay and more manageable caseloads as demand for care has grown statewide. After more than a year of contract negotiations and on the heels of a one-day strike in early July, Allina Health hospice nurses are set to strike for one week starting September 11 after union members said the hospital did not adequately address employee concerns about raises, staffing and caseloads. More than 60 Allina nurses in the SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa union voted unanimously to authorize the strike August 21. After additional contract negotiations with a federal mediator a week later did not pan out for either party, the union announced on August 31 their 10-day notice to strike, during which time contract negotiations will continue. 

Longtime hospice volunteer grateful for ability to help patients, families Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo, MS; by Leslie Criss; 9/1/26 Back in 2000 when Pat Rutledge was new to Fulton, she realized she needed to find something to do with her time. She went through training to become a volunteer at North Mississippi Health Services Hospice. That was more than 20 years ago. "I'm the only volunteer from back then still here," said the 83-year-old. "I was assigned a patient, went to visit and just fell in love with being a hospice volunteer."Editor's Note: As hospice organizations' names, ownership, and services shift over the years, do your volunteers still feel seen? Pat began in her mid-50s and stayed 25 years — proof that purpose and appreciationcan keep a volunteer for decades. Look at your volunteers: what are you doing--today--to help them stay, through years ahead? What is something new you can do?

Hospice of Southern West Virginia is offering free Hospice Aide training for qualified applicants sABC-4 WOAY, Beckley, WV; by Brandy Lawrence; 8/26/26 Hospice of Southern West Virginia is offering Hospice Aide training at no cost to applicants interested in starting a career caring for hospice patients in their homes and at Bowers Hospice House. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent, reliable transportation, and complete a WV Cares background check and drug screening. Applications are open now, and training begins on the first day of employment once all pre-employment requirements are completed. Editor's Note: Bravo to Hospice of Southern West Virginia for this innovative, supportive edcuation initiative to address staffing needs for hospice aides. To adapt this for your hospice, examine the CMS Hospice Conditions of Participation: § 418.76 Hospice aide and homemaker services.

Revisiting mastering the art of re-entry: the key to a less-stressful return from vacation Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); by Chris Comeaux; 8/11/26 Now that it is midsummer, have you followed my advice in my previous blog, Work-Life Harmony and taken your vacation? Stephen Covey coined the phrase, “Sharpening the saw,” many years ago and that age-old wisdom applies even more today than when he first wrote about it over thirty years ago. Taking time off is essential to live a high-performance life. But I have noticed a disturbing trend amongst my peers and team members. They are taking time off, but about a week into their return, they comment, “that is so far in the rearview mirror because I am so far behind that I am working twice as hard to catch up.” ... It's time to break free from this vicious cycle by incorporating a crucial new competency: planning your re-entry.Editor's Note: Translate this to your interdisciplinary team professionals for whom--during their vacations--patients have died, their family conflicts have escalated, and newly admitted patients have been added to their caseloads. What systems do you have for smooth, supportive transitions for IDG members when handing off caseloads when leaving, and picking them up on return?

[Global] Following WHO Global Cancer Report, international nursing and palliative care leaders call for urgent workforce investment for rising cancer needs World Health Organization (WHO) and Internationalouncil of Nurses (ICN); Joint Statement on World Health Organization (WHO) Global Status Report on Cancer 2026; 7/24/26Based on the evidence in WHO’s recent Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, the International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC) and International Children's Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) urge leaders to invest in and protect the nursing and health workforce to urgently strengthen health systems and improve cancer outcomes across the full continuum of care. ICN, ISNCC, ICPCN welcome the report’s clear message that the future of cancer care will not be secured through medicines and technology alone, but through the health workforces that are the backbone of care. We affirm that meeting the world’s most urgent cancer challenges depends on investing in nurses and multidisciplinary teams; addressing workforce shortages and burnout; and moving away from medicalized models towards people-centered, equitable health care across prevention, treatment, survivorship, rehabilitation and palliative services.

Person who makes a difference: Dubuque volunteer brings personal, professional experience to service Telegraph Herald, Dubuque, IA; by reade Snelling; 7/19/26 After a lifetime of caring for people in the community, one might find that some time off was in order. Allen Meurer didn't, though. During and after his long career of serving Dubuque as a physician, Meurer has also been a caregiver and resource for older adults throughout the city. Now, as a volunteer at Bethany Home, Hospice of Dubuque, Hawkeye Care Center and Harmony Healthcare, plus serving on the board of directors of the first two organizations, he doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. "That's my passion, end-of-life care," Meurer said. "Since I retired about four years ago, I just continued on visiting the nursing homes like I did for my career."

Allina Health hospice workers hold one-day strike KARE-11 NBC, Minneapolis, MN; by Heidi Wigdahl; 7/6/26 On Monday [7/6], Allina Health hospice workers held a one-day strike as they fight for a first contract. A group of about 65 hospice nurses at Allina, who are members of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, voted in support of a strike at the end of June. Allina Health said the strike does not include nurses at Allina's hospitals and clinics but ones working in homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities within the Twin Cities' greater metro area.

Allina hospice workers announce 1-day strike set for July 6FOX 9, Minneapolis, MN; by Kilat Fitzgerald; 6/29/26The Brief

Infographic: 4 ways to spot and prevent AI hiring fraud early HR Daily Advisor; by HR Daily Advisor Staff; 6/10/26 Reviewing candidate applicants used to be about finding the right fit. Now, it’s also about verifying who is actually on the other side of the screen. With AI-driven hiring fraud on the rise, talent teams are seeing a wave of automated applicants entering their hiring pipelines using flawlessly engineered resumes and synthetic identities. ... To help HR leaders protect their pipelines without slowing down legitimate talent, here are four critical red flags recruiting teams should be tracking right now.

Rigorous assessment of leadership development programs in health careNEJM Catalyst; by Amanda Woods Herron, Katelyn J. Cavanaugh, Courtney L. Holladay; 4/26Effective leadership is increasingly recognized as a critical determinant of organizational performance within health care systems, but funding for such programs is frequently in jeopardy as revenues fail to keep up with other expenses. Therefore, the managers of such programs should adopt rigorous methods for evaluating the impact of their work. Despite the proliferation of leadership development programs, few institutions systematically evaluate these initiatives. This article presents a comprehensive framework for the evaluation of leadership development, grounded in implementation science and organizational research, as applied within a large academic health care institution. The framework emphasizes the necessity of clear eligibility criteria, integrated data sources, and alignment with institutional strategic priorities to assess program effectiveness and support continuous improvement. 

Unlocking human potential through the workplace FacilitiesNet.com; by AnnMarie Martin; 5/22/26 ... Today’s facility leaders are no longer simply maintaining buildings. They are actively shaping the conditions for organizational success, serving as the critical connector between people, place, strategy and technology. That shift carries both weight and possibility. ... The question driving forward-thinking facility leaders today isn’t whether the workplace matters. It’s how to make it matter more. ... At the heart of this life-centered, people-first approach is a simple but powerful premise: the built environment shapes behavior. Lighting affects focus. Acoustics affect stress. Layout affects collaboration. ...