The evolution of hospice in America: nursing's role in the movement

In the current society, many individuals fear death and the feelings of suffering and loneliness that often accompany death. Two visionaries in the United States, Florence Wald and Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, recognized these fears and planned the nation's first hospice movement in the 1970s. The hospice philosophy continues to prosper in the new millennium. In this article, the founding American hospice's philosophy, types of facilities, standards, health team composition, patient demographics, organizations, reimbursement, and research are compared and contrasted with those of the current hospice movement. Existing issues with the modern movement are also discussed.