For Immediate Release
February 10, 2026

East End Hospice and Suffolk County Community College EMT: Paramedic Program Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Hospice Rotation

East End Hospice and Suffolk County Community College EMT: Paramedic Program Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Hospice Rotation.

Suffolk County Community College paramedic students have begun participating in New York State’s first hospice-specific clinical rotation at the East End Hospice Kanas Center for Hospice Care. As part of their program training, Suffolk students already complete more than 600 clinical hours in areas that overlap with emergency services, including emergency rooms, labor and delivery, and mental health. This initiative introduces an unprecedented focus on hospice care within paramedic education.

“Surveys show that emergency services personnel often interact with hospice patients,” said Matt Zukosky, EMS and Fire Programs Coordinator and Professor at Suffolk County Community College. “Yet students have fewer opportunities to fully understand the specialized needs of this population. This rotation offers hands-on experience alongside experts from the region’s leading hospice provider.”

Through this rotation, students will develop essential end-of-life care skills, including understanding hospice philosophy, managing medication and symptoms, and distinguishing Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST), DNRs, and other directives. The rotation also covers the Hospice Protocol adopted by the New York State Department of Health in July 2025, preparing EMS students for hospice-specific emergency situations.

More than 100 EMS and Fire agencies provide emergency response services to Suffolk County’s nearly 1.5 million residents. “Emergency services personnel are some of our most valued colleagues,” observed Mary Crosby, President & CEO of East End Hospice. “This rotation will inform people about the important work they do in our communities and increase their comfort level in situations that are not lifesaving. We hope to give students tools and techniques they can employ to support family and loved ones.”

Suffolk County Community College’s Paramedic Program is the only degree-granting program on Long Island. “We are thrilled that students from our community will be better prepared to meet the unique needs of hospice patients,” remarked Peter C. Halstead, Chairman of East End Hospice. “This is a groundbreaking concept, and it’s no surprise that two regional leaders in their respective fields are behind the idea.”

ABOUT EAST END HOSPICE

For more than 35 years, East End Hospice (EEH) has provided expert care, comfort, and compassion to terminally ill patients and their families throughout Eastern Long Island. EEH is the region’s only independent, not-for-profit hospice provider, offering comprehensive services including home hospice care, inpatient support, and bereavement programming—all at no cost to recipients. Each year, EEH serves over 800 patients through the dedication of licensed professionals and more than 160 volunteers. Grief and bereavement services are offered to patient families as well as to the broader community. To learn more, call 631-288-8400, email info@eeh.org, or visit www.eeh.org

 ABOUT SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Suffolk County Community College is the largest, most comprehensive community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling more than 26,000 students in over 100 degree and certificate programs. With approximately 145,000 alumni, Suffolk County Community College is dedicated to meeting the demands of regional employers. The college has built an extensive track record of successfully training and educating its students through pathways from high school to college and into careers.