Hospice of the Red River Valley and sister company, House Calls, recently celebrated opening a new office location in Bismarck, N.D. The new office opened in early 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were forced to postpone our grand opening event.

A full staff of professionals serve the Bismarck-Mandan communities and surrounding region. The office is located at: 1400 43rd Ave NE, Ste., 212, Bismarck

Special thanks to the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC for helping us celebrate, and to KX News for covering the event.

Join us for a long overdue open house and ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of our Bismarck office. Hospice of the Red River Valley and House Calls opened an office in Bismarck in early 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were forced to postpone our grand opening event. Now that safety precautions and continued vaccination efforts continue to improve, we’re pleased to welcome friends and supporters to our new location, learn about our services and meet our team.

WHO: Hospice of the Red River Valley & House Calls

WHAT: Open house and ribbon-cutting

WHEN: Thursday, June 24, from 3-6:30 p.m. with ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:30 p.m. with the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC

WHERE: 1400 43rd Ave NE, Ste., 212, Bismarck

WHY: Celebrate with us the opening of our new office location and the additional options for health care in the Bismarck-Mandan communities.

Oliver Roth, LPN, CHLPN, has successfully passed the Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse (CHPLN®) examination through the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center.

Roth works as an after-hours patient care coordinator at Hospice of the Red River Valley. He has been with the organization since February 2020. Roth is a 2018 graduate of Lake Area Technical Institute, and is currently attending Presentation College to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

The Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse (CHPLN®) examination is designed for experienced hospice and palliative licensed practical nurses. Applicants must hold a current, unrestricted practical nursing license in the United States or its territories and have 500 hours of experience in the most recent 12 months or 1,000 hours in the most recent 24 months.  

Travis Christopher, development officer at Hospice of the Red River Valley, was awarded the 2020 Respected Fundraising Professional designation from the Northern Plains Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. This distinction celebrates a passionate fundraising professional who exemplifies the highest standards of ethical practice and who effectively champions the cause of a nonprofit mission.

Each November we celebrate National Hospice Care Month. This year, as we reflect on this important care through the lens of COVID-19, the compassionate care provided by Hospice of the Red River Valley’s staff is more meaningful than ever. Some of the most vulnerable community members entrust Hospice with their care.

As the president of the board of directors for Hospice of the Red River Valley, it is my distinct honor to recognize and celebrate this organization and the people who dedicate their time and talents to its mission. COVID-19 has added so many stresses to an already demanding job, yet they have risen to the challenge. More than ever, people need Hospice’s compassionate care, in their homes.

Home-based care is Hospice of the Red River Valley’s trademark, yet we could never have imagined the critical need for in-home care and support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospice of the Red River Valley remains steadfast in its mission to provide not only gold-standard care, but also much needed connection when so many are quarantined and isolated from family and friends.

We want to express our sincere thanks to our partners in care and all essential personnel who sacrifice their own health to provide care and help keep our most vulnerable community members safe. It’s an honor to work alongside you. Please join me in recognizing and celebrating National Hospice Care Month.

Sincerely,

Jon Benson
President of the Board of Directors
Hospice of the Red River Valley

Health care professionals are invited to Hospice of the Red River Valley’s upcoming virtual Lunch and Learn as we continue to explore topics related to end-of-life care.

The next session will be held Tuesday, Oct. 13, from noon-1 p.m. Stephen Astrup, project and regulatory counsel with Hospice of the Red River Valley, will present “Making Sense of Health Care Directives.” This collaborative session will help attendees:

• Identify circumstances when a health care directive may be necessary
• Increase cross-discipline competence in understanding the importance of, and assisting in, the preparation of health care directives.

This event is free and open to all health care professionals. Pre-registration is required at bit.ly/hrrvlunchlearn. If you have questions, please email lunchlearn@hrrv.org.

Registered attendees will receive a link for the online meeting.

Christina Ferderer, RN, CHPN, has successfully passed the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN®) examination through the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center.

Ferderer works as a staff nurse at Hospice of the Red River Valley, and cares for patients in and around Gwinner, Valley City, Lisbon and many other communities in North Dakota. She has been with the organization since 2018. Ferderer is a graduate of North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, N.D., where she obtained her education as a Licensed Practical Nurse and Registered Nurse.

The Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN®) examination was designed for experienced registered nurses. Applicants must hold a current, unrestricted registered nurse license in the United States or Canada and must have 500 hours of hospice and palliative nursing practice in the most recent 12 months or 1,000 hours in the most recent 24 months.

Hannah Osland, RN, BSN, CHPN, and Nicole Wilm, RN, BSN, CHPN, have successfully passed the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN®) examination through the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center.

Osland works as a staff nurse at Hospice of the Red River Valley in Fargo. She has been with the organization since 2018. She is a graduate of Bethel University.

Wilm has worked as a staff nurse at Hospice of the Red River Valley in Fargo since 2018. She is a graduate of North Dakota State University.

The Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN®) examination was designed for experienced registered nurses. Applicants must hold a current, unrestricted registered nurse license in the United States or Canada and must have 500 hours of hospice and palliative nursing practice in the most recent 12 months or 1,000 hours in the most recent 24 months.

For nearly 40 years, Hospice of the Red River Valley has responded to the needs of seriously ill and grieving people and has expanded into areas where we’ve been invited and needed. Now, residents of Bismarck, Mandan and the surrounding areas will have another option for compassionate, expert care.

After careful planning, and much conversation, we are pleased to share that Hospice of the Red River Valley has expanded and opened an office in Bismarck, located at 1400 43rd Ave. N.E., Suite 212.

With an office location in Bismarck and a team of local hospice and palliative care experts, Hospice of the Red River Valley is ready to help people live well with comfort, dignity and respect, in their homes or wherever they reside.

Expanding the service area to Bismarck and Mandan is a decision supported by Hospice of the Red River Valley staff, including Nurse Renda Brooks. “I’m honored to be a part of the team that is bringing compassionate end-of-life care to those who need us here,” Brooks said. “Hospice of the Red River Valley offers quality care and 24/7 support—not just for our patients, but for their family members, too. I’m grateful we can bring this service to people in my community.”

People of all ages and illnesses may receive care from Hospice of the Red River Valley. Our care and services are available to anyone who needs them, regardless of insurance coverage or ability to pay. Hospice services, including medical equipment and medications for your terminal diagnosis and related conditions, are covered under the Medicare and Medicaid Hospice Benefits. Most private insurance plans also offer a hospice benefit.

“The latest available Medicare data show that people who choose hospice care for their final months of life spend less time in the emergency room and more time focusing on quality of life,” said Tracee Capron, Hospice of the Red River Valley executive director. “For people who are no longer pursuing a cure there are many benefits to hospice care. Hospice helps them stay at home and focus on comfort and dignity. They can spend this time with family and friends and avoid trips to the hospital.”

If you’re living with a life-limiting illness, Hospice of the Red River Valley can help. When you’re ready to learn more, contact us. We’ll visit with you at a time convenient for you, free of charge. If hospice care is right for you, we will do the follow-up work, including contacting your doctor, starting the necessary paperwork and arranging a visit with a hospice nurse.

The nationally-recognized award honors top-performing health care organizations that have achieved the 95th percentile or above in employee engagement. Presented annually, the award names clients who consistently sustained performance in the top 5 percent of all Press Ganey clients for each reporting period during the course of one year.

“We are honored to accept this award,” said Tracee Capron, executive director for Hospice of the Red River Valley. “The award is a testament to our employees, and their passion for carrying out our mission.”

As a strategic business partner to more than 26,000 health care organizations, Press Ganey is an industry leader in helping clients transform the patient experience and create continuous, sustainable improvement. The 2019 award recipients were honored at the Press Ganey National Client Conference in Orlando, Florida on November 18.