By Bill Wertman, CEO, Big Bend Hospice
There is a special kind of nurse who chooses hospice care.
It takes clinical expertise, certainly. Hospice nurses manage complex symptoms, respond to rapidly changing conditions, and guide families through some of the most difficult medical decisions they will ever face. But hospice nursing also requires something that cannot be taught in a textbook. It requires presence, patience, compassion, and the ability to walk into moments of profound grief with both skill and humanity.
As National Nurses Week comes to a close and we recognize International Nurses Day, I want to take a moment to honor the extraordinary nurses of Big Bend Hospice and the impact they have on the families we serve every single day.
For more than 40 years, hospice nurses have been at the heart of our mission. They are the steady hands adjusting medications in the middle of the night, the calm voice helping a family understand what to expect, the reassuring presence sitting quietly at a bedside when words are no longer necessary.
Hospice nursing is unlike any other kind of healthcare.
Our nurses care not only for patients, but for entire families. They step into homes during some of life’s most vulnerable moments and help bring comfort to situations that can feel overwhelming. They balance medical expertise with emotional intelligence, often serving as clinician, educator, advocate, and source of strength all at once.
And they do it with remarkable grace.
I have had the privilege of witnessing this work firsthand, time and time again. I have watched our nurses move seamlessly from managing complex pain symptoms to comforting a grieving spouse. I have seen them celebrate meaningful moments with families while also carrying the emotional weight that naturally comes with this work.
That kind of care leaves a lasting impact.
I also want to recognize our Chief Nursing Officer, Norman Pasley, whose leadership has helped shape and strengthen the culture of compassionate care throughout our organization. Norman understands that excellent hospice care requires both clinical excellence and deep humanity, and he has helped foster a nursing team that embodies both.
Under his leadership, our nurses continue to set the standard for what hospice care should look like in our community.
At Big Bend Hospice, we are fortunate to have nurses working across every level of care, from home hospice and inpatient care to palliative care and beyond. Their knowledge, dedication, and compassion are woven into every part of this organization.
But what makes hospice nurses truly special is not just what they do. It is how they do it.
They enter difficult moments without hesitation. They help families find peace in uncertainty. They ensure patients are treated with dignity and comfort until the very end. And long after a visit is over, families often remember the nurse who sat beside them, listened to them, and helped carry them through a moment they thought they could not survive.
That is the power of hospice nursing.
So on International Nurses Day, I want to say thank you to the nurses of Big Bend Hospice for the compassion you show, the expertise you bring, and the extraordinary care you provide to our community every day.
This mission would not be possible without you.