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The Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) is the oldest, most experienced and trusted hospice care provider in North Texas. As a nonprofit organization, our team is patient-centered and focused on ensuring patient goals are developed and coordinated with great care.
Since 1978, our experienced care team is one of the most sought after in the region. VNA participated in the Medicare pilot establishing the hospice benefit still available today.
All hospices are required to provide the same four levels of care in the United States. Which level of care a patient receives varies with each individual case, and it’s not uncommon for a patient to move from one level of care to another and back again as his or her needs change.
Patients at this level usually reside at home (a private residence or a facility) and their symptoms are well controlled; this accounts for 97% of all hospice care provided.
When symptoms have worsened to the point they can no longer be managed at home, patients may require inpatient care. The patient may be temporarily placed in a skilled nursing facility or an acute care hospital to stabilize and better control their symptoms. Once a patient stabilizes, he/she will return to the routine level of care.
Respite care occurs when a patient is moved from the home setting to a skilled nursing facility to provide up to five days of care to allow for caregiver relief.
If the patient’s symptoms worsen to the point they can no longer be controlled by the caregiver, and the patient chooses to stay at home, hospice nurses will provide continuous 24/7 nursing care until the symptoms are controlled.
Other Criteria:
Documentation includes:
Acute Phase
Chronic Phase
Both of the following or documentation of severe comorbidities and rapid decline:
The experienced team at VNA Hospice Care is focused on ensuring our patients receive the highest quality care at every stage of their journey.
Learn more about our clinical quality measures.
VNA has been Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP) accredited since 2010. All hospice organizations are required to meet state and federal regulations in order to operate. However, obtaining CHAP accreditation requires meeting higher standards of care and going above and beyond Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines. VNA was recently audited by CHAP (standard for all CHAP-accredited agencies) and was found to have no deficiencies.
The National Institute for Jewish Hospice (NIJH) provides accreditation to hospices that testifies to a hospice’s ability to serve Jewish clients in a culturally sensitive way. Accreditation includes training on Jewish culture and religion and is reviewed annually.
SAGECare is a division of SAGE the country’s oldest and largest non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older adults. SAGECare provides LGBT competency training and consulting on LGBT aging issues to service providers.
VNA is proud to be HIPAA Verified by the Compliancy Group.
Our interdisciplinary care teams are composed of trained professionals and volunteers whose main goal is to ensure we are caring for the whole patient and their loved ones. The teams proactively communicate with each patient’s doctor(s), ensuring the care plans are followed and patient needs are met. Our teams are available to coordinate care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Hospice staff prepare, train, guide and support the caregiver(s) throughout the hospice experience to keep the patient as comfortable as possible.
Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) are the patient’s main medical caregiver(s) and report ongoing health conditions directly to the doctor. The patient’s dedicated RN also serves as the Care Coordinator and is responsible for overseeing the patient’s overall plan of care. VNA RNs are trained in the art of symptom management and provide compassionate, hands-on care as well as education to caregivers on how to provide care to their loved one at home.
A medical social worker will be your family’s connection to accessing any needed community resources and offer emotional support and counseling throughout the process.
Certified Hospice Aides may help with bathing, grooming or other personal care services. Their role is to help provide support to the patient’s family and caregiver(s).
These hospice specialists often help patients improve or recover basic life skills they may have lost over time, such as walking, dressing, eating or speaking.
Spiritual counselors are available to provide comfort and support. VNA Hospice Care is able to provide spiritual counseling for all faiths and creeds. If requested, the VNA Chaplain can work directly with the patient’s clergy to provide additional support.
The Hospice Physician is an invaluable member of the interdisciplinary hospice team. Physicians provide the medical expertise to manage care at the end of life.
*In addition to the VNA Hospice Physician, the patient is able to choose any attending physician to oversee their care if desired.
After completing the VNA Hospice Training Program, VNA volunteers offer compassionate support and companionship for patients and their families. Volunteers can serve in multiple roles including: providing caregiver respite, reading and/or listening to music with the patient, documenting patient stories and memories, running light errands, and providing emotional support.
VNA nurses are available around the clock including evenings and weekends to address any needs of the patient and family. Expert clinicians will be dispatched any time day or night as the need arises.
VNA’s Children’s Haven Pediatric Program is committed to providing excellent care to pediatric patients and their families, and to helping families to establish goals of care in line with their desires and individual needs.
