Hospice care is often associated with hospital or home settings, but for many patients, their final chapters are spent in facilities like nursing homes or assisted living communities. Hospice services in these environments provide specialized care that addresses unique challenges and ensures patients receive compassionate end-of-life support . One of the key figures in this process is the dedicated facility hospice nurses, someone like Cassie Beard, who plays a vital role in bridging the gap between the facility’s staff, patients, and their families.
Cassie, one of our hospice nurses who primarily visits patients in facilities, offers a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of working in such environments. Her approach exemplifies how collaboration, communication, and education are essential for delivering the best care to hospice patients in facilities.
Navigating Challenges and Building Relationships
One of the primary differences in hospice care at facilities compared to home is the coordination with facility staff. As Cassie explains, “Communicating with multiple people including facility medical staff is not necessarily a challenge but it is a different obstacle.” Ensuring that orders match and that everyone involved – from facility staff to family members – is aligned on the patient’s care plan requires continuous communication. “You always want to be updating each other. Good relationships and communication are key,” she emphasizes.
This collaboration is particularly important because the families of patients may not always be present. In many cases, families live far away or are unable to visit frequently, leaving patients reliant on the facility staff and hospice team for both physical care and emotional support.
Providing Consistency and Comfort
Cassie highlights the importance of developing relationships not just with facility staff, but also with patients and their families. She recalls how her presence often brings comfort: “It gives the patients peace of mind knowing they have someone consistent to see and check on them. Not every patient has family in the area or at all to come see them.”
For families, knowing that their loved one has a dedicated hospice nurse, like Cassie, provides reassurance. They see her as an advocate for their loved one, someone who will ensure their comfort and dignity in their final days. This personal connection is what makes the role so rewarding for Cassie: “Having hospice in facilities adds an extra layer of support, and I enjoy being that for our patients and their families.”
Educating and Supporting Facility Staff
Another critical aspect of Cassie’s role is educating facility staff about hospice and end-of-life issues. Many facility nurses and caregivers are accustomed to a model of care focused “fixing” problems, but hospice takes a different approach. As Cassie explains, “In end-of-life care, we focus more on making sure our patients remain comfortable. Usually, a nurse who is not working in hospice wants to ‘fix’ what is causing the discomfort rather that treating the discomfort itself.”
Cassie approaches this educational role with a collaborative spirit, working alongside facility staff to ensure they feel supported, not judged. Her focus is on building trust and offering guidance when new medications or treatments are introduced, ensuring that the staff understands how to prioritize comfort for hospice patients.
A Lasting Impact
For Cassie, the most meaningful part of her job is the trust families place in her as their loved one’s advocate. “When patient families reach out to me to be an advocate for their loved one, they know that I’m a good resource as an extension of Hospice Care of the Lowcountry,” she shares. This bond is what makes hospice care in facilities so impactful – not just for the patients, but for their families and the entire care team.
Conclusion
Hospice care in facilities is a complex yet deeply rewarding experience, both for the nurses who provide care and for the patients and families who receive it. Nurses like Cassie Beard ensure that the final stages of life are marked by dignity, comfort, and compassionate support. By working closely with facility staff and maintaining open lines of communication, they help bring peace of mind to patients and their loved ones during life’s most vulnerable moments.
Sources
- -NHPCO’s “Facts and Figures: Hospice Care in America”
- -National Institutes of Health (NIH) article on hospice care collaboration
- -NHPCO, “Patient and Family Experiences in Hospice”
- -Journal of Palliative Medicine study on family satisfaction with hospice services
