Our nurses provide care that matters! We value our nurses as an integral part of our care teams, providing expertise in hospice and palliative care across Ohio.  

National Nurses Week is celebrated annually between May 6-12 and reminds everyone to honor nurses for their invaluable contributions to our mission.  

Nurses are Mission Essential  

Ohio’s Hospice nurses visit patients regularly to monitor medications and ensure that each patient is comfortable and able to function at the highest level possible. They make sure patients are treated with dignity and respect. 

As part of the care team, nurses work closely with the patient’s healthcare provider to provide routine care, crisis care, general inpatient care, and respite care. 

Executive Regional Vice-President, Renee Sparks, explains that nurses are critical to our mission because of their extraordinary capacity for compassion. 

“Compassion is often regarded as one of the defining qualities of the nursing profession,” she said. “At its core, nursing is about caring for others, often during their most vulnerable and challenging moments.” 

Sparks explained that nurses bring empathy, patience, and unwavering dedication to their work, offering support that goes far beyond physical care.  

“Their presence provides comfort, their kindness offers hope, and their compassion touches not just the body, but the heart and spirit as well,” she said. 

Leading the State in Certified Care Professionals  

At Ohio’s Hospice, certification reflects our commitment to honor and recognize the expertise and specialized knowledge that elevates the care we provide when it matters most.  

Our nurses are certified by the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA), the leading national organization for end-of-life care nursing.  

Our certification numbers reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence and superior care. We’re honored that so many certified hospice and palliative care professionals choose to join our mission of Celebrating Life’s Stories®.   

A review of the 2024 data from the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) report confirms what we’ve long believed—that investing in professional development directly benefits the patients and families we’re privileged to serve throughout Ohio. This focus on certification is an important part of what allows us to provide superior care and superior services when it matters most.  

The report reveals that Ohio’s Hospice employs 58% of Ohio’s certified hospice and palliative licensed nurses (CHPLN), 45% of certified hospice and palliative nursing assistants (CHPNA, and 35% of Ohio’s certified hospice and palliative nurses (CHPN). 

“It is definitely something that sets us apart from other hospice organizations throughout the state,” Wickline said. “It represents a nurse’s commitment to excellence and specialized knowledge in hospice and palliative care. When our team members earn these credentials, they bring enhanced expertise to the bedside that directly improves quality of life for our patients during their most vulnerable moments.”  

The Nursing Honor Guard 

Since its kickoff during National Nurses Week in 2016, the Nursing Honor Guard has performed more than 200 tributes at the bedside of nurses who are in our care.   

Nurses across Ohio’s Hospice volunteer to be a part of the Nursing Honor Guard traveling to honor nurses who are in hospice care with Ohio’s Hospice.  

“Nursing is giving of oneself to enhance the love of others,” said Honor Guard member, and Crisis Care Team Leader, Jamie Souther. “We salute all of our nurses who have given so much to the profession.” 

Support Our Mission by Honoring a Nurse  

If you would like to honor a nurse and support our mission, click the button below!  
Your gift celebrates the impact nurses have on the lives of our patients every day. 

With kindness, compassion and support, our nurses deliver on our not-for-profit community-based mission by providing the highest level of care no matter the circumstances, challenges or complexity of the situation. We are grateful and thankful for all they do to deliver superior care and superior services to our patients and families!