Deprescribing in Hospice Patients: Discontinuing Aspirin, Multivitamins, and Statins.

Objective: To facilitate deprescribing of aspirin, multivitamins, and statins in hospice patients enrolled in Mayo Clinic Hospice, Rochester, Minnesota.

Patients And Methods: During the fall of 2019, we conducted a quality improvement project to improve care of Mayo Clinic Hospice patients by decreasing the percentage of patients taking aspirin, multivitamins, or statins. Project interventions included the addition of a palliative medicine fellow to the hospice interdisciplinary team, nurse education, and implementation of an evidence-based deprescribing resource tool.

Impact of Massage Therapy on the Quality of Life of Hospice Patients and Their Caregivers: A Pilot Study.

Evidence for massage therapy (MT) in hospice patients remains limited. We conducted a prospective pilot study on MTs impact on quality of life of hospice patients and caregivers. Patient-caregiver dyads were enrolled if patients scored ≥5 on pain, depression, anxiety, or well-being using the revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System Revised (ESAS-r).

Rookies of the year: successfully orienting new graduate registered nurses to the cardiovascular surgical intensive care unit.

The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of the experience of one cardiovascular surgical ICU (CVSICU) orienting new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) directly to critical care. The authors share a collective experience of interviewing, hiring, orienting, and retaining NGRN to a CVSICU. The formal orientation processes and the critical care training program, Essentials of Progressive and Intensive Care, are detailed.