Literature Review

The project: This is hospice care PA Mediapoint, United Kingdom; 3/1/25 Hospice UK approached us to support the launch of their national “This is Hospice Care” campaign. The campaign aimed to raise awareness about hospice care and encourage people to leave a gift in their will to their local hospice. ... To further strengthen the campaign’s storytelling, we encouraged hospice nurses to bring objects representing the diverse services offered by hospices. Some of props included a pug to represent pet therapy, a potted plant symbolising hospice gardens and outdoor spaces, a birthday cake reflecting the sense of community and celebration within hospices, and a gift box to emphasise the theme of leaving a legacy. Bringing together nurses from twelve hospices, the shoot successfully blended visual storytelling with the core campaign messages. The imagery not only highlighted the importance of hospice care but also created compelling content for national and regional media.Editor's note: This creative initiative can be adapted easily for hospice teams (clinical and non-clinical), volunteers, and more. Click on the title's link to read more about this project's meaningful design, implementation, and outcoms.

[UK] 'Rising costs mean difficult decisions' - hospices BBC News, Somerset, UK; by Bea Swallow; 3/1/25 Hospice charities have warned "difficult decisions" could be on the horizon unless changes are made to "restrictive" government funding. On Wednesday, the government announced the release of £25 million for hospices across England, but this is reserved for facility upgrades and refurbishments only. ... Facing a "significant rise" in demand and costs, hospices across the country have been rallying for a more sustainable, long-term funding solution for the sector. ... Penny Agent, chief operating officer for Dorothy House, said unless it received support with staffing costs, it would have no choice but to cut back on services. 

Suspect armed with rifle shoots at hospice nurse, points weapon at deputies The Orange Leader, Orange County, CA; by Staff Reports; 2/28/25 A person was taken into custody after allegedly shooting at a fleeing hospice nurse and pointing a rifle at law enforcement Thursday. Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the 5600 block of Rebel Road after a hospice nurse reported to 911 that while attempting to provide care to one of her patients she was confronted by an occupant of the home. The occupant followed the nurse out of the home with a rifle, and shot at her as she fled the property.  A single bullet struck the nurse’s vehicle, according to information from OCSO. Upon arrival, Orange County Deputies established communication with the suspect who remained inside the residence with the rifle.  The suspect reportedly pointed the rifle toward the deputies while he remained in close proximity to the hospice patient.  

Forget perks—leadership starts with asking employees what they need Forbes; by Benjamin Laker; 2/25/25 Employee well-being isn’t just a perk—it’s a business imperative. As organizations struggle with high turnover, burnout, and shifting workforce expectations, leaders must rethink how they engage and support employees. Research consistently shows that investing in well-being leads to measurable gains in productivity, retention, and performance. A recent study published by BMJ Leader examined how a structured, data-driven approach to improving workplace culture can yield transformative results—using the well-being initiative at Royal Free Hospital as a case study. ... The program, which was the focus of the BMJ Leader study, incorporated systematic conversations based on the Joy in Work Framework, identifying key challenges and implementing targeted solutions. Following implementation, workplace satisfaction surged by 76%, highlighting the significant impact of addressing staff concerns directly. Employees became more engaged in organizational initiatives, fostering a culture of active participation rather than passive compliance. 

Relaxing licensing, training requirements during pandemic didn’t improve nursing home staffing: study McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Zee Johnson; 2/24/25 A new study of more than 15,000 nursing homes found no link between relaxed certified nurse aide training and licensing protocols during the pandemic and improved staffing levels. During COVID-19, 19 states loosened their training requirements (the “treatment” group), and 31 states did not (“control” group). However, both recorded nearly the same CNA hours per resident per day, according to the study by researchers at the University of Iowa. ... During the pandemic, direct caregivers were at extreme risk for contracting the deadly virus, which killed more than 200,000 nursing home residents and workers. But more often than not, they were left without basic benefits such as paid sick leave, Mehboob said. 

5 tips to determine how tech can support your physicians American Medical Association (AMA); by Georgia Garvey; 2/25/25 ... Margaret Lozovatsky, MD, vice president of digital health innovations at the AMA, recently shared five important considerations—among them establishing a governance model and agreeing on shared priorities—in designing technology to support clinical practice. Dr. Lozovatsky’s presentation was part of a two-day AMA training event to help physicians eliminate unnecessary work and free up more time to focus on what matters most—patient care. ...

ONA Leadership Column: The next level State Nurses Associations - Oklahoma Nurses Association; by Dean Prentice, DHA, MA, BSN; 2/24/25 What is it going to take to raise the leadership ability of your staff to the next level? One of the many roles you play for your staff is encouraging their professional development. ... The future of nursing will require a well-rounded skill set that goes beyond traditional clinical training. Emotional intelligence, cultural competence, data-driven decision-making, ethical leadership, and resilience are all critical to meeting the challenges of tomorrow’s healthcare landscape. By developing these skills, nurses will not only improve patient outcomes but will also contribute to the evolution of the nursing profession, ensuring it remains relevant, compassionate, and effective in an increasingly complex world. 

How OU Health's Professional Practice Model is defining nursing excellence Health Leaders; by G Hatfield; 2/24/25 This model enables [Oklahoma University] OU Health to elevate nursing education, practice, and outcomes, says this CNE. ... Stefanie Beavers, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, chief nurse executive at OU Health, and HealthLeaders Exchange  ... The Concept: A professional practice model, according to Beavers, is an evidence-based practice that aligns organizational values with a framework driven by research and outcomes. The goal is to elevate nursing excellence and patient outcomes, but also to solidify the identity of the organization's teams. The OU Health Nursing Professional Practice Model was developed based on the Joanne Duffy Quality Caring Model, so that the organization could take caring behaviors and integrate them into OU Health’s values.

Home health, hospice CEO average pay tops $400K: report McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 2/19/25 The Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service’s newly released 2024-2025 Multi-Facility Corporate Compensation Report offered an in-depth look at home health  and hospice executives’ average earnings. The average CEO salary at a multifacility home health and hospice firm was $403,000, with the top 10% earning $603,000 and the bottom 10% making $278,000. Average salaries varied among other C-suite executives, with chief operating officers earning $247,000, top financial executives earning $265,000, and chief medical officers earning $285,000, on average, according to the report. 

Hospice workers in Tampa experience what it feels like to live with dementiaFox 13 Tampa Bay, FL; by Kailey Tracy; 2/19/25 Keosha Simmons says her father, who died in 2018, was a hard worker and an amazing man. ... "He did live with dementia. It was an early onset of dementia. He ended up with cancer, and it was a later stage when we found out about it, and that's when he came under the care of Empath Health Suncoast Hospice," Simmons said. Simmons is now the Director of Empath’s Community Engagement team. On Wednesday, Simmons and her team did a different kind of training. It was a hands-on simulation to experience what someone with dementia feels. [From this article's "The Brief" Summary.]

Partnership grows to help more clinicians of color find community in Vermont Vermont Business Magazine - Vermont Biz (VB), South Burlington, VT; by Tim, The University of Vermont Medical Center; 2/18/25 A growing partnership between University of Vermont Medical Center and the Vermont Professionals of Color Network (VT PoC) aims to help people of color adjust to life in Vermont and build the personal and professional relationships community leaders say are crucial to both individual wellbeing and keeping residency students in the state after they complete their clinical training. “During my 20 plus years here, I have heard from so many black and brown people about how difficult it can be to adjust to life in Vermont – and this goes for medical residents too,” said Tino Rutanhira, co-founder and co-executive director of VT PoC. "... Without support, many of these professionals decide to leave Vermont at a time when our state desperately needs young, skilled and diverse people to help it grow.” Editor's note: Parteners listed include The University of Vermont Health Network - Home Health & Hospice.

'Fast and furious' AI sparks health system refocus Becker's Health IT; by Laura Dyrda; 2/19/25Health systems are beginning to hire chiefs of artificial intelligence and other AI leaders to bring new expertise into the system with the goal of becoming a more sophisticated, data-driven organization. Lisa Stump, executive vice president, chief digital information officer and vice dean of information technology at Mount Sinai Health System and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, participated in the search and hiring process for Girish Nadkarni, MD, Mount Sinai's first chair of artificial intelligence and human health to create a formal department at the Icahn School of Medicine dedicated to AI. She now partners with him and the system's chief clinical officer – calling themselves the "digital and technology partners" group – to structure a center of excellence around AI and digital health, focusing on the patient and consumer experience.