3 Reasons I Appreciate Hospice Nurses

Dean's Blog | November 14, 2019
Judith Karshmer

This month, which is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, I keep coming back to a phrase someone said to me long ago. Hospice nurses are love at work.

Dying can be long, bewildering, lonely, painful and frequently undignified. It is the case that the hospice nurses make all the difference:

  • Hospice nurses provide not only support and care but also friendship and compassion.
  • They don’t just care for their patients but for the entire family
  • Hospice nurses know what to expect and can help decrease the fear and worry of the patient and family by helping them prepare for the future and personally navigate it.

If you have ever lost a loved one without ongoing hospice care, you know how heart-wrenching it is. If you have had the experience in which you were surrounded by the caring and support of a hospice nurse, you too know how meaningful that can be – a gift to hold close.

I hope you’ll have the opportunity this month to say thank you to a hospice nurse for the compassion and support they show in attending to the physical, emotional and even spiritual needs of those in their care.