Suffolk County Community College Paramedic Students Start New York’s First Hospice Rotation

Suffolk County Community College paramedic students have begun participating in a hospice-specific clinical rotation at East End Hospice’s Kanas Center for Hospice Care in Westhampton Beach, a partnership SCCC and East End Hospice characterize as New York State’s first hospice-specific clinical rotation for paramedic students. NewsBreak reports the placement started on Feb. 10, 2026, while college materials and local coverage say students are already participating this month.

The rotation is folded into Suffolk’s existing Paramedic Program, which the college says requires more than 600 clinical hours across emergency rooms, labor and delivery, and mental health settings. Suffolk County Community College describes its Paramedic Program as the only degree-granting paramedic program on Long Island, and SUNY Suffolk staff are posting program details on their LinkedIn page, which notes the college has 62,271 followers.

Matt Zukosky, EMS and fire programs coordinator and professor at Suffolk County Community College, framed the need for hospice training in clinical terms: “Surveys show that emergency services personnel often interact with hospice patients. 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.” Patch and college releases list specific learning objectives including understanding hospice philosophy, managing medication and symptoms, and distinguishing Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, DNRs, and other directives.

East End Hospice leadership emphasized community readiness and practical skills. Peter C. Halstead, chairman of East End Hospice, said, “We are thrilled that students from our community will be better prepared to meet the unique needs of hospice patients,” and called the program “a groundbreaking concept.” Mary Crosby, president and CEO of East End Hospice, added that the rotation will “increase their comfort level in situations that are not lifesaving” and provide “tools and techniques they can employ to support family and loved ones.”

Local scale underlines the operational relevance: Southshorepress reports more than 100 EMS and fire agencies serve Suffolk County’s population of nearly 1.5 million residents, a population size that college and hospice officials cite when explaining the practical value of hospice training for emergency responders. NewsBreak also notes East End Hospice has served Eastern Long Island for more than 35 years and cares for more than 800 patients each year.

Public reaction on SUNY Suffolk’s LinkedIn post was largely positive, with commenters such as Christopher Williams saying, “Thank you to the paramedics and paramedic students for your help when we least expect it,” and Schuyler Gazzo writing, “An excellent idea with great potential returns. However, not the first to do this.”

NewsBreak reports the rotation follows the New York State Department of Health’s Hospice Protocol adopted in July 2025. For more information, East End Hospice lists contact details: phone 631-288-8400, email info@eeh.org, and its website; SUNY Suffolk directs interested students to sunysuffolk.edu/healthcare.