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As the area’s first hospice, Hospice of Acadiana has the longest record of continuous service of any hospice in Louisiana. The organization can also claim the most knowledgeable and compassionate service with a staff that includes 12 registered nurses and three physicians certified in Hospice & Palliative Care.

Donna Vidrine, who’s worked as a clinical nurse with Hospice of Acadiana for the past 15 years, says that level of certification in a hospice is virtually unheard of and is what sets Hospice of Acadiana apart.

While Hospice of Acadiana does include a group of dedicated volunteers, it’s a team of certified nurses that possess the expertise to guide patients toward the end of life. Nurses serve as leaders of a team that involves social workers, chaplains, volunteers, physicians and more. “We all work together to take care of not only the patient, but to support and educate the family throughout the process,” Vidrine says. “There are different common and distressing symptoms at the end of life, and certification and greater education into how to manage those symptoms is very important.”

Making patients comfortable, controlling pain and helping families during and after the death of their loved one are essential elements of hospice that require special knowledge and expertise in palliative care. “The medical component is important,” says Vidrine, “but the psychosocial, emotional and spiritual components are of primary importance.”

2600 Johnston Street Lafayette LA 70503 www.hospiceacadiana.com 232-1234