Medical Director and Physicians :
Experienced, board-certified specialists in family practice, internal medicine and geriatrics, our medical
director and hospice physicians approve patients for admission to the Samaritan program, guide and
direct care teams, and re-certify patients for continued hospice care. They are available to consult with
physicians in the community and to visit patients as needed.

Primary Registered Nurses (RNs) :
Primary RNs make regular visits to the patient and serve as a unique role on the hospice team. They
coordinate all hospice services and provide skilled care. Nurses are responsible for the patient’s comfort.
They manage medication, educate family members, and keep them informed, obtain supplies and
medical equipment, and call in other Samaritan specialists as needed. They work with the physician and
family to anticipate and address changing needs and provide ongoing assessments. They supervise
licensed practical nurses or certified home health aides.

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) :
LPNs provide skilled nursing care, such as changing dressings, and assist with personal care and activities
of daily living. Our LPNs also provide extensive caregiver education and guidance, especially during the
first few days of hospice. Their practical instruction in proven caregiving methods helps those taking
care of a patient to feel less anxious and better-equipped to keep their loved one comfortable when
Samaritan staff is not present.

Certified Home Health Aides :
CHHAs are essential members of the hospice team who assist with personal care, such as bathing,
shaving, dressing, and other activities of daily living. They may assist with light meal preparation, change
patient bed linens, and wash the patient’s laundry in the patient’s home.
Visiting On-Call Nurses :
These Nurses visit patients at night, on weekends and holidays, in response to emergent needs that
cannot be handled over the telephone or wait until daytime office hours.
Social Workers :
Social workers provide counseling and support to help people cope with challenges and emotions that
often arise at the end of life. They can acquaint patients and families with supportive resources available
through Samaritan and their local communities, help answer insurance questions, and help with
advance directives.

Spiritual Support Counselors :
These hospice team members offer spiritual support, guidance, prayer, and counseling that is culturally
sensitive and non-denominational, respecting all faiths. If requested, they help patients maintain or
reconnect their ties to religious communities.

Grief Counselors :
Grief counselors are hospice care team members offering bereavement counseling and coordinate
services for individuals and families who are coping with or anticipating the loss of a loved one.

The Hospice Volunteer :
Hospice volunteers are specially trained in hospice and end-of-life issues to provide compassionate
companionship for patients and families or to facilitate their care. Volunteers are an important part of
hospice; their duties can range from visiting patients to crafting patient items to documenting patient's
life stories to helping in the office.