A Heart for Hospice: FPH’s Rhonda Taylor-Blair

Some angels don’t have wings or halos. Instead, they carry backpacks filled with dog treats and drive trucks named after a beloved patient’s pup. For Rhonda Taylor-Blair, a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) at Faith Presbyterian Hospice (FPH), naming her truck Hazel is just one reminder of the meaningful relationships she forms in her work that extends beyond a patient’s bedside.

Rhonda didn’t always know she was meant to be a nurse. Prior to nursing, she spent 13 years working with individuals with special needs as a junior high special education teacher and then running special needs residential group homes. After witnessing how those with special needs were sometimes treated during doctors’ visits, she thought, “I can do better.” This realization sent her back to school to pursue nursing, where her journey as a different type of caregiver took shape.

It was in 2007, when she witnessed her grandmother’s hospice nurse provide care with dignity and gentleness, that Rhonda discovered her true calling. In 2012, Rhonda joined the hospice team at FPH and brought with her a heart of compassion. “For me, the most rewarding part of hospice care is watching families and patients transform from anger and resentment to acceptance and peace,” she shares.

For Rhonda, being a hospice nurse means walking with patients and families through every step of their journey, especially when it’s tough. “There’s this idea that hospice care is easy, but it’s not,” she explains. “You get to know your patients, you realize who they are, what makes them tick and where they are emotionally. My favorite part of a patient visit is talking to them and learning about where they are in their journey. This job is about listening – really listening. Patients don’t want to hear what I think; they want to hear what I recommend and then make their own informed consent and decision about what is right for them.”

Hospice focuses on much more than just the patient or their final days. It’s about embracing the time remaining and making it as meaningful as possible for everyone involved. It encompasses the entire family, including spouses, children, grandchildren and even pets. Rhonda explains, “People think hospice means you have two days to live. In reality, it’s about recognizing there are no more treatment options. But hospice provides you and your loved ones with amazing spiritual, emotional and nursing support as your condition declines. The sooner you get on service, the more support you and your family receive.”

She speaks fondly of Steve Schneiderman, a current in-home FPH patient who teaches her about strength. “Steve has a heart of gold and just wants to help everybody with his story. He is strong and he’s at peace. Steve made this amazing decision early on to live with quality, and that’s what we have been able to give him.”

Rhonda’s approach to care isn’t just about medical treatment but an important connection. “A hug makes things better,” she shares. “Once I get that permission, they know they’ll get a hug every time. It teaches them that I care, that they matter and that in that moment, they are all that matters.”

“So many people think birth is the most beautiful thing in the world,” Rhonda reflects. “But death can be beautiful too – if you allow it to be. If you let your loved one hear that last ‘I love you,’ if you give them that permission to let go, that death is so beautiful.”

She’s seen it over and over again. “The best death is when the patient is at peace, they’ve said the words they need to say, they’ve seen those people they need to see and they tell their maker, ‘I’m ready.’” For families, it is a sad time but also a time of relief knowing that their loved one is no longer suffering, and Rhonda helps these loved ones walk through their own journeys to achieve peace.

After 12 years at FPH of caring for those at the end of life, Rhonda shared the wisdom she’s gained during her career about living and dying: “Live every day like it’s your last. Don’t forget to say, ‘I’m sorry but always remember, I love you.’ And in that order.”

Hospice care gives Rhonda a profound purpose. “At the end of the day, I lay my head on the pillow and I know I made a difference in someone’s life. I sleep well at night.”

Hebrews 13:2 reminds us, “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” Through her acts of compassion  towards her patients, Rhonda entertains angels, unaware. And through the care she provides, she is one too.

Forefront Living is proud of teammates like Rhonda, whose heartfelt dedication transforms the lives of the patients she serves. In 2021, her exceptional service was recognized when she was named an Each Moment Matters Honoree. Click here to read a loved one’s personal tribute to Rhonda sharing the compassionate care her husband received at the end of his life.