About the Author

Tina M. Marrelli, MSN, MA, RN, FAAN

Tina Marrelli is the author of numerous books, including Home Care Nursing: Surviving in an Ever-Changing Care Environment, her book directed toward caregivers, a sometimes undervalued person on the healthcare team; A Guide for Caregiving: What’s Next? Planning for Safety, Quality, and Compassionate Care for Your Loved One and Yourself!; Handbook of Home Health Standards: Quality, Documentation and Reimbursement (2018); and The Nurse Manager’s Survival Guide.

Tina has a long-term relationship with hospice and hospice colleagues. Medicare did not recognize hospices or pay for hospice care until 1982. In the early years of hospice, both the staff at CMS and the leaders of the early hospices worked to make sense of the law and the population it served, working together to develop the kind of hospice care that is now identified with the name. She was an early participant and remembers those heady days. For the more “experienced” readers, you might recall Tom Hoyer of HCFA (now CMS) fame. Tom was termed the “hospice czar” and was a driving force for positive change. This means that at that time, hospice was primarily volunteer. It was pretty much grassroots and mission-driven to try to change and improve end-of-life care for patients and to support their loved ones. This all sounds common sense now, but looking back, it was not. At that time, Tina was the Director of a systems-based nonprofit Home Care and Hospice in Annapolis, Maryland (USA), and it was the first hospice to receive TJC accreditation. So she has always embraced the hospice philosophy and model and (still) wonders why the rest of the healthcare system does not also embrace family and friend caregivers.

Tina attended Duke University School of Nursing, where she received her undergraduate degree in nursing. She also has a master’s degree in health administration and in nursing. Tina has worked in hospitals, nursing homes, and public health. She has practiced as a visiting nurse and managed in-home care and hospice for many years.

Tina is the Chief Clinical Officer for Innovative Caregiving Solutions, LLC, an innovative e-caregiving technology (www.e-caregiving.com). Finally, caregiving and caregivers (loved ones, friends, partners, and others) are being recognized for their important contributions, knowledge, and roles. Tina can be contacted at info@e-caregiving.com.

Tina is an international healthcare consultant, specializing in home care, hospice, and community-based models of care. Tina and her team of specialized consultants have been practicing in the home care and hospice environments for more than 20 years.

Tina is a founding member of the International Home Care Nurses Organization (www.IHCNO.org), which was developed “to support a vibrant worldwide network of nurses to promote excellence in providing optimal care to patients living at home wherever they live in the world.” The IHCNO was started with a small but “mighty” group of nursing leaders.

Tina has been the editor of three peer-reviewed publications—most recently for Home Healthcare Nurse (now Home Healthcare Now), and she is an Editor Emeritus. Tina also serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Community Health Nursing and The American Nurse.

Tina has been married to her “Hubby,” Bill, for 25 years and hopes for another 25!

Tina is a cat person, but their last one, Limpy Buttercup, went to kitty heaven. Stay tuned for the next kitty! Tina and Bill have walked the beaches on Sea Turtle Patrol for more than 20 years on the west coast of Florida. There is almost nothing as exciting as seeing these vestiges of the dinosaur era come ashore to lay their eggs and then see and watch their hatchlings, all species of which are either threatened or endangered.