Hospice is care focused on comfort and quality of life for people with a limited life expectancy. It treats the person, not the disease.
Core principles
Comfort over cure, the patient and family as the unit of care, care wherever the person lives, and support through death and bereavement.
Eligibility
Generally a physician’s certification of a limited prognosis and the patient’s choice of comfort-focused care; specifics vary by program and payer.
Settings
Home, assisted living, nursing facilities and inpatient hospice units.
Common mistake
Thinking hospice means giving up. It means choosing how to spend the time that remains.
Key Takeaways
- Comfort over cure, the patient and family as the unit of care, care wherever the person lives, and support through death and bereavement.
- Generally a physician’s certification of a limited prognosis and the patient’s choice of comfort-focused care; specifics vary by program and payer.
- Home, assisted living, nursing facilities and inpatient hospice units.
Check Your Understanding
Before moving on, explain in your own words the most important point from “What Hospice Is” and name one situation in your work or family where you would apply it, and who you would report to or ask if unsure.
Action Step
Write a two-sentence explanation of hospice you could give to a family member who fears it means abandoning care.
This course is educational only. It is not medical, nursing or legal advice, does not replace state-approved training programs, clinical supervision or employer policies, and does not issue any license, certification or credential. Scope of practice and training requirements vary by state; always follow the care plan, your supervisor’s direction and the current guidance of the licensed clinicians responsible for the person in your care.