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At VITAS Healthcare, nurses are at the core of everything we do. They’re a fundamental part of every hospice team, caring for our patients and families. Nurses are also integral to our origin: In 1978, a registered nurse, Esther Colliflower, and a Methodist minister, Hugh Westbrook, founded the hospice company that would become VITAS Healthcare.
VITAS celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and we’re proud to be the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, caring for an average of 18,000 terminally ill patients each day and their families.
We wouldn’t have made it far without nurses. Over 40 percent of VITAS’ 12,000 employees are nurses, and some of our strongest partnerships are with nursing organizations, such as Florida Nurses Association, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, National Black Nurses Association, National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations, American Association for Men in Nursing, Nurses on Boards Coalition, National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses, American Nurses Association, Hispanic Nurses Association and Black Nurses Rock.
Forging relationships that improve lives
As an RN working at VITAS since 1983, I know firsthand the vital contributions of nurses in hospice and palliative care. I also understand the value of diversity in a hospice team: the significance of being cared for by professionals who look and speak like you, who may have grown up in a similar community, faced similar fears and navigated similar situations.
The relationships forged between nurses and patients can have a direct impact on the patient’s well-being. Aside from family caregivers, nurses are the people with whom patients will spend most of their time. In many cases, nurses are the first people with whom a patient will share their intimate needs, fears and desires. Trust between patients and nurses is paramount. VITAS fosters that trust by providing culturally competent healthcare services in diverse communities.
Empowering nurses to empower patients
We take great steps to equip our nurses to best serve patients and families. Our nurses often work independently, traveling between patients’ homes, nursing facilities and VITAS offices, so every nurse is given a secure cell phone to streamline communication.
Our nurses can further their education with VITAS’ tuition reimbursement program and sign up for classes at VITAS.com/webinars, where all professionals are invited to learn about topics related to end-of-life care. We recognize that when nurses aren’t caring for patients’ families, many are caring for their own, so VITAS offers flexible schedules for full-time, part-time and per-diem employees.
Many VITAS nurses—myself included—have gone on to hold higher positions within the company and beyond it. In South Florida, Patty Husted, RN, joined VITAS in 1989 as a team manager and is now senior vice president of operations throughout Florida. Betty Bel started as a patient care administrator in 2003 and is vice president of operations in Dade-Monroe and Broward counties.
Lasting partnerships, proud legacies
Partnerships with nursing organizations provide our nurses with additional opportunities for professional growth and access to useful resources. As we continually invest in our employees so they may become the healthcare leaders and influencers of tomorrow, we also invest in the organizations committed to supporting healthcare professionals and improving outcomes for patients and families.
Since 1978, VITAS has had a strong commitment to South Florida communities. We are proud to make a difference and honor and support nurses everywhere. I cannot imagine a more fulfilling career than the one I have had in hospice with VITAS.
