Author: Peter Abraham, BSN, RN

Peter Abraham, BSN, RN Avatar

Peter Abraham, BSN, RN, is a compassionate hospice and palliative care nurse, certified end-of-life doula, and grief specialist who walks alongside individuals, families, and healthcare teams during life's most challenging transitions.

Peter's Experience

With extensive experience in heart care, medical-surgical nursing, hospice, and palliative care, Peter is deeply aware of the unique challenges families face during times of illness. His valuable hands-on roles as a case manager and admissions nurse have equipped him with insights into the true needs of individuals navigating these impactful health transitions.

How Peter Helps Through Compassion Crossing

Peter founded Compassion Crossing to provide personalized support that transforms fear into peace. His services include:

Peter also provides staff development training for healthcare teams, helping them feel more confident when caring for patients with chronic and terminal illnesses.

Peter's Mission

Peter's goal is simple: create a supportive environment where no one faces life's hardest moments alone. He writes helpful articles, books, and guides to help caregivers, families, and healthcare professionals feel prepared and confident.

He also shares his knowledge through his YouTube channel, Nurse Peter, where he discusses death, dying, and compassionate care with hospice nurses, holistic nurses, caregivers, and end-of-life professionals.

Life Beyond Work

When Peter isn't working or writing, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Laura, and their two rescue dogs in the beautiful countryside of central Kentucky.

Ready to Talk?

Schedule a free conversation with Peter to see how we can support you, someone you care about, or your organization.

You don't have to face life's difficult transitions alone. We're here to help.

Empowering Caregivers: Effective Communication with Healthcare Providers

Discover how to use the CUS tool and Caring Feedback Model to advocate for your loved one's health. This guide empowers caregivers to communicate effectively with healthcare providers, ensuring their concerns are heard and addressed.

Read MoreEmpowering Caregivers: Effective Communication with Healthcare Providers

How to Identify End-Stage Parkinson’s for Hospice Admission

Parkinson's disease stages of progression

Identifying end-stage Parkinson's for hospice admission can be challenging. This article explores key criteria, including decline in function, weight loss, swallowing difficulties, and mobility issues. Learn how hospice professionals assess patients and utilize guidelines to ensure appropriate and timely hospice care for those with advanced Parkinson's disease.

Read MoreHow to Identify End-Stage Parkinson’s for Hospice Admission

Crisis Management at End-of-Life

Crisis At End Of Life Dying In Pain

Discover effective strategies for managing end-of-life crises in hospice care. Learn how to recognize signs of distress, implement calming techniques, and provide compassionate support to patients and families. This guide offers practical tips for hospice nurses and caregivers to navigate challenging situations with confidence and empathy.

Read MoreCrisis Management at End-of-Life

Understanding Palliative Sedation: A Comprehensive Guide for Hospice Care

This guide covers the essentials of palliative sedation for hospice patients, including ethical dilemmas, timing, recommended medications, and monitoring effectiveness, ensuring comfort during the end-of-life journey.

Read MoreUnderstanding Palliative Sedation: A Comprehensive Guide for Hospice Care

Understanding Interstate Hospice Transfers: A Comprehensive Guide

Man In Wheenchair Being Helped Into Medical Transport

Navigating interstate hospice transfers can be complex. This guide explores the process, challenges, and considerations for patients and families. Learn about Medicare regulations, coordination between hospice agencies, and how to ensure continuity of care when moving across state lines during end-of-life care.

Read MoreUnderstanding Interstate Hospice Transfers: A Comprehensive Guide

How to Communicate Effectively with Healthcare Professionals as a Family Member of a Patient with a Terminal Illness

Laura Holding Her Moms Hand

Learn how to communicate effectively with healthcare professionals when caring for a loved one with a terminal illness. Improve communication, advocacy, and coping skills to ensure your loved one receives the best care possible.

Read MoreHow to Communicate Effectively with Healthcare Professionals as a Family Member of a Patient with a Terminal Illness

Hospice Care for the Terminally Ill: Beyond Vital Signs

Hospice care is a unique medical approach that prioritizes comfort and peace for the terminally ill rather than vital signs or curative treatments. It offers holistic support, addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. This compassionate care improves the quality of life, dignity, and a peaceful end aligned with the patient's values.

Read MoreHospice Care for the Terminally Ill: Beyond Vital Signs

Bowel Management for the Terminally Ill: A Guide for Caregivers and Hospice Nurses

Managing bowel problems in terminally ill patients is crucial for their comfort and dignity. This guide offers practical tips for caregivers and hospice nurses to address constipation, diarrhea, bowel obstruction, and ascites, ensuring patients' better quality of life.

Read MoreBowel Management for the Terminally Ill: A Guide for Caregivers and Hospice Nurses

A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing Dementia and Providing Compassionate Care

A female doctor with their patient

Dementia is a complex condition affecting millions worldwide. Diagnosing dementia requires the expertise of medical professionals specializing in cognitive disorders. By guiding families and caregivers through the diagnostic process, you can empower them. In this article, we'll explore the steps to find the right specialist for a dementia diagnosis and how families can prepare for the crucial doctor visit.

Read MoreA Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing Dementia and Providing Compassionate Care

The Importance of a Formal Diagnosis for Dementia: A Comprehensive Guide

Differential Diagnosis for Dementia

Getting a formal diagnosis of dementia is essential for understanding the condition, accessing appropriate treatments and support services, and ensuring the best possible care. This comprehensive guide explores the importance of a specific diagnosis in predicting patient needs for comfort and quality of life, as different types of dementia require distinct care approaches. Avoid the risks of a generic diagnosis and empower yourself with knowledge.

Read MoreThe Importance of a Formal Diagnosis for Dementia: A Comprehensive Guide

Strategies to Help Dementia Patients Use CPAP Overnight: A Caregiver’s Guide

Caregivers can find it challenging to ensure dementia patients wear their CPAPs overnight. This article offers practical tips and strategies to help caregivers ensure comfortable and uninterrupted CPAP use for their loved ones.

Read MoreStrategies to Help Dementia Patients Use CPAP Overnight: A Caregiver’s Guide

Compelling Hospice Nursing Narratives: Ensuring Continued Eligibility and Comprehensive Care

This guide covers how to write effective hospice nursing narratives, key documentation areas, and the importance of detailed and negative-based wording to support continued hospice eligibility.

Read MoreCompelling Hospice Nursing Narratives: Ensuring Continued Eligibility and Comprehensive Care

Kennedy Ulcers: Understanding, Identification, Care, and Significance in the End-of-Life

Kennedy ulcers are skin lesions that can develop in individuals nearing the end of life. This guide explores their appearance, causes, diagnosis, and treatment. It offers insights into identifying Kennedy ulcers and providing comfort through pain relief, hygiene, and repositioning. Additionally, it addresses the emotional impact and coping strategies for caregivers and loved ones.

Read MoreKennedy Ulcers: Understanding, Identification, Care, and Significance in the End-of-Life

Understanding Self-Soothing Sounds During the End-of-Life

Daughter Kissing Her Dying Mothers Forehead

The journey towards the end of life can be a challenging and emotional time, both for the individual facing the end of their life and for their caregivers and family members. One aspect of this journey that may be unfamiliar to many is the presence of self-soothing sounds made by the patient during the transition and actively dying phase. These sounds can be puzzling and sometimes unsettling for caregivers and family members who have never witnessed them. This article will explore self-soothing sounds, why they occur, and how caregivers and family members can distinguish between self-soothing sounds and signs of discomfort.

Read MoreUnderstanding Self-Soothing Sounds During the End-of-Life

Understanding the Common Journey Towards End-of-Life

Holding The Hands Of A Dying Person

Caring for a terminally ill loved one can be challenging and emotional. As an experienced hospice nurse case manager, you understand the importance of providing compassionate care and support to loved ones and their families. In this educational article, we will explore the common journey that terminally ill loved ones and their caregivers face as they approach the end of life. We will summarize this journey's various aspects, offering guidance and separating fact from fiction.

Read MoreUnderstanding the Common Journey Towards End-of-Life

Hospice Nursing ADPIE

As a hospice nurse, you are vital in providing compassionate care to terminally ill patients and their families. To ensure the best possible outcomes, you rely on a systematic approach known as ADPIE: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. This process guides you in delivering holistic and individualized care, addressing not only the physical needs of patients but also their emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial well-being.

Read MoreHospice Nursing ADPIE

Admission Nurse: Essential Questions to Ask During the Hospice Admission Visit

Some Indicators For Hospice Eligibility

As a hospice admission nurse, asking the right questions is crucial for assessing patients' eligibility and providing compassionate care. This article explores critical questions to understand the patient's condition, decline timeline, hospitalizations, functional abilities, cognitive status, and comorbidities. By gathering this information, nurses can support informed decisions, tailor interventions, and ensure a "good death" for patients and families.

Read MoreAdmission Nurse: Essential Questions to Ask During the Hospice Admission Visit

Assessing Patients on the FAST Scale: A Guide for Nurses

As a nurse who has cared for many terminally ill individuals with Alzheimer's disease over the years, I understand the importance of accurately assessing their functional decline using the Functional Assessment Staging Tool (FAST). The FAST scale provides valuable information about the progression of Alzheimer's disease and helps guide appropriate care planning for patients and their families. In this guide, I will walk you through the process of assessing patients on the FAST scale, starting from stage 1 and discussing when to stop reading the scale for determination. I will also provide three examples of patients at various stages of the FAST scale.

Read MoreAssessing Patients on the FAST Scale: A Guide for Nurses

Understanding UTIs in Dementia Patients: A Guide for Caregivers

Urinary Tract Infections

This comprehensive guide helps caregivers understand why urinary tract infections (UTIs) are prevalent in dementia patients. It provides practical advice on prevention, early detection, and effective treatment strategies. Empower yourself with the knowledge to provide the best care for your loved ones.

Read MoreUnderstanding UTIs in Dementia Patients: A Guide for Caregivers

Revisiting Time Management for a Hospice Visiting Nurse

Discover essential time management strategies for hospice visiting nurses. Learn how to balance patient care, documentation, and self-care while navigating the unique challenges of rural hospice work. Improve your efficiency and effectiveness in providing compassionate end-of-life care.

Read MoreRevisiting Time Management for a Hospice Visiting Nurse

Understanding Your Hospice Care Team: A Guide for Patients and Families

Understanding The Hospice Care Team

The end-of-life journey can be challenging and emotional for patients and their loved ones. A dedicated team of professionals provides comfort, support, and holistic care in hospice care. Each team member has a unique role, ensuring the patient's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are met. Let's explore the roles of different hospice team members and how they contribute to your care journey.

Read MoreUnderstanding Your Hospice Care Team: A Guide for Patients and Families