Healthcare

Hospice & End-of-Life Care

Providing comfort-focused care to patients with a six-month prognosis under the Medicare hospice benefit. Covers recognizing the actively dying phase (mottling, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, terminal agitation, decreased intake), non-verbal pain assessment with PAINAD, mouth and skin care, family support, the time-of-death protocol (call hospice not 911, honor the DNR), and sustainable self-care after a patient dies.