Also Known As:
Continuous nursing care, crisis hospice care, bedside symptom management
Type:
Short-term, intensive hospice care service
Primary Purpose:
Provide round-the-clock nursing care at home to manage urgent or uncontrolled symptoms, ensuring patient comfort and safety during a crisis
When It Applies:
During acute symptom crises at home, when the patient requires intensive support to prevent hospitalization or emergency room visits
Who Is Involved:
Hospice nurse, patient, family members, and other hospice team members, as needed
Where It Occurs:
Primarily in the patient’s home, though it can also take place in assisted living, nursing facilities, or inpatient hospice units if required
Visit Frequency:
Continuous, with a nurse present for several hours or overnight until urgent symptoms are stabilized
Coverage:
Included under Medicare Hospice Benefit, Medicaid, and most private insurance hospice plans
Key Focus:
Immediate symptom management, patient safety, comfort, and preventing unnecessary hospitalization
Common Misunderstanding:
Continuous care is temporary and is not meant to replace regular hospice visits; it is only activated during symptom crises or urgent medical situations
Who Receives Continuous Care
Continuous care is specifically tailored for people going through really tough times – seeing a sudden and extreme change in their symptoms that can’t be managed by a standard visit from the hospice team. Our hospice nurse & doctor carefully assess the situation so we know who is going to need it and when. This makes sure patients get the support they need most when its absolutely necessary.
Some key points for people who might need continuous care are:
- Those struggling with uncontrolled pain, severe shortness of breath that is severe, can’t sleep, or other critical symptoms
- Anyone who’s at risk of being taken to the hospital or emergency room
- People who need to be closely monitored to bring a couple of urgent issues under control
What Happens During Continuous Care
During a continuous care period, a nurse stays at the patient’s bedside for several hours or even overnight, providing very hands-on, supportive care. They are on the lookout at all times – taking the patient’s temperature, administering medication, adjusting treatments as things change, and keeping in touch with the rest of the hospice team.
The family is also a key part of it, we make sure they are informed and supported by:
- Teaching them the safest way to help the patient with some comfort measures
- Helping them to learn to observe and notice changes in symptoms
- Teaching them how to effectively respond in a crisis situation
This is all very flexible; it fits with the patient and their family, so everyone feels supported and involved.
How Continuous Care Supports Families and Patients
Continuous care is a lifesaver – providing a vast amount of intensive symptom relief & reassurance for people and their families who are struggling through these tough times. By bringing the nurse and the support home, the patient is able to stay in a place they are comfortable and familiar while they get the care they need.
Families get a lot out of it too – they get:
- Guidance on what they can do to help keep the patient comfortable and safe
- Education on the different symptoms that the patient might be experiencing
- Support from the nurse to help them care for the patient at home
It all helps to cut down on stress, ensures the patient stays safe and helps families feel like they’ve got someone in their corner to help them navigate these difficult times.