Hospice and a university integrate systems through a nurse liaison position

In many ways, acute hospital care and hospice care are two very different health care modalities based on two very different philosophies. Acute hospital care is primarily curative in nature, and of course, hospice is palliative care. This major philosophical difference renders understanding, appreciation, and relinquishing care to each other difficult, and at times impossible. Collaboration between the two is fraught with barriers and, therefore, requires facilitation. The initiation of this hospice nurse liaison program required vision and risk taking as well as understanding and appreciation of the contributions of both acute care and hospice care. The outcomes of patient and staff satisfaction, decreased length of stays, increased appropriate hospice referrals, decreased costs, and increased communication and collaboration between the hospital and hospices validate the worthiness of the program.