Taylor Tosto, Hospice Floor Registered Nurse at Friendship Village, has been named a 2024 Frontline Honors honoree by Hospice News.
To become a Frontline honoree, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be:
- A dedicated, high-performing frontline worker who delivers exceptional experiences and outcomes
- A passionate worker who knows how to put their vision into for the good of their respective industry, the patients and residents they serve, and their families
- An advocate for their industry and their fellow colleagues
Hospice News recently caught up with Tosto to discuss their time in the hospice & palliative care industry.
HSPN: What drew you to this industry?
Tosto: I have a little brother with special needs. Growing up around him instilled a lot of patience and understanding in me. Early on, my parents helped me realize that my job as a big brother was a very important thing. I think that gave me a unique perspective and helped nudge me into the healthcare field. Also, I was very close to my grandmother, so when she was diagnosed with cancer (when I was in my early 20s), I spent some really important time with her when she transitioned to hospice care. It was a sad time for our family, but I learned a lot from the experience.
HSPN: What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in the industry?
Tosto: Most people don’t experience grief until they have to, and usually the loss of a loved one on hospice services is their first experience with grief. It is crucial to be proactive in anticipating the patient’s needs, but also in terms of providing support and education to the family members, who may not fully understand or be accepting of end of life. This job has also made me appreciate my own life experiences and encourages me to spend more time with my loved ones.
HSPN: What’s your favorite part about your job?
Tosto: I truly love interacting with my patients, supporting them and their loved ones as they navigate a difficult time in their lives. Hearing the feedback from family members that they feel as if my involvement made a positive impact on their loved one’s life is so rewarding. I love that in this capacity, I can give my full attention to each one of my patients and really build a relationship with them and their families.
HSPN: What do you want the general public to better understand about your job and the industry you serve?
Tosto: When people hear what I do,, they usually respond with “Oh, I could never do that.” I feel as if the public focuses on the end result of hospice and not all of the benefits it provides. It seems hospice has a negative connotation or misconception perceived by staff nurses, family, and patients themselves. I have noticed that when people hear “hospice,” they immediately think the patient is going to pass away within two days. Although that can be the case at times, that circumstance is one in which the patient was signed on too late in their disease process. Hospice nurses typically prefer to get our patients admitted when they have several months left to live, so we can really enhance their quality of life, and build a quality relationship with them and their family. I have noticed that nursing in general does not touch on death and dying much. Even in nursing school, it is not a subject often discussed.
HSPN: What’s something that you wish other people in your organization — particularly leaders who don’t work on the front lines — understood better about your job?
Tosto: I have the luxury of being supported by management and leadership at my company. My feelings on healthcare are general. Those of us that become “frontline” workers are empathetic people doing it because we have the calling to help others. My previous experiences at the hospital showed me that healthcare is a business first. As a healthcare worker, my prime focus and concern is the patient’s overall well-being and quality of life. However, I have noticed that the business side of nursing often would interfere with what was truly best for the patient.
To view the entire Frontline Honors Class of 2024, visit https://frontlinehonors.com/.
