Columbus Hospice COO considers her job an 'honor'

Donna Morgan says in nursing school students are taught when dealing with family members of patients they should not cry, they should not hug.

"We violate that every day," Morgan said of workers at Columbus Hospice.

Morgan is chief operating officer and senior vice president of clinical operations for the community-based nonprofit health care program founded in 1979.

Not only that, but Morgan has been elected to serve as president-elect in 2016 for the national Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association and is president of the Georgia Hospice & Palliative Care Organization.

"If you don't cry sometimes, then it is time to quit," Morgan said. "You have to legitimately care. It is okay to cry, and it is okay to hug. You are breaking hearts when you are telling people they are going to lose someone they love."

You might think the family understands this already, since a physician has delivered the diagnosis and the patient is in a program designed to provide quality end-of-life care.

"Some don't take the news well and refuse to believe it," Morgan said.

She remembers sitting on a bed in a room with her father in North Carolina and having to make sure he understood the end was near.

He was a man who had rebounded from troubles in the past.

"I had to tell him, this time, he was not bouncing back," she said.

It is important people understand the truth so they can properly prepare, Morgan said.

In January, Morgan will celebrate 21 years with Columbus Hospice, about 20 in her current role as the person responsible for all patient care, overseeing physicians, nurses, chaplains, social workers and others.

"She is a valuable asset," said Mike Smajd, the chief operating officer and president of Columbus Hospice. "Donna is well read, someone who is bright and intelligent. She keeps us up on all the regulations in the business."

A North Carolina native, Morgan has a nursing degree from Lenoir-Rhyne University. She is an Army veteran, as is her husband, Robert Morgan, an assistant baseball coach at Columbus High School. They have a son, Scott, who just graduated from the University of Georgia.

She began work at Columbus Hospice after serving at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

There, she worked in the bone marrow transplant division of the oncology department.

"Many people there are not going to survive. I found I could talk with people about life choices. I was not afraid to go into a room and talk with them, telling them no more surgery could be done to help them, that there are no more drugs, that their time is drawing close. I took it seriously. I showed I cared about them," she said.

Morgan said being part of end-of-life care is an honor and a privilege.

"Whether directly caring for a patient, or through leadership, I have realized that it's by invitation that I am in the lives of these patients, and I respect and honor that privilege. Hospice care is not depressing work. Even with the tears, there are joys and laughs with patients and their families," she said.

Morgan feels her personality well suits her for the work, that her disposition, by nature, is to "wake up every day happy, upbeat and optimistic."

But to do the work, one needs encouragement.

"I attribute my strong family support through my husband and son and my social support and friends," she said.

She is a runner now preparing for her third marathon. As a member of the Columbus Roadrunners, running has helped her maintain excellent health and build deep relationships in the community.

Morgan recalled when she began her current position.

"It was a big leap, an amazing leap. It was my first management job. We were much smaller then but grew rapidly," she said.

She began working in homes, and that is where most of hospice care is still done. Columbus Hospice also has a 25-bed facility on Moon Road.

Currently, Columbus Hospice has approximately 190 employees and 200 volunteers.

"It is important to select the right people for the job and give them support," Morgan said.

She said she has never considered herself a political activist, but her role in national and state organizations puts her in a position to represent hospice, which can mean going before the legislature to speak in favor of or against issues affecting the industry.

"It is a little scary but a great growth opportunity. I think it looks good for Columbus Hospice," she said.

She said hospice is an industry that continues to grow. One reason is insurance companies will not let patients stay as long in a hospital.

Morgan said people need to check on hospices before deciding where to place a loved one.

"Make sure they are licensed, look up deficiency reports online and check out the qualifications of the staff, how much experience is there, is everyone certified," Morgan said.

She added people should check if the hospice is on call 24 hours and how fast someone can get to a home if needed.

Morgan finds her work with hospice rewarding.

"It is never boring," she said.

This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 10:10 PM with the headline "Columbus Hospice COO considers her job an 'honor' ."