I'm not goint to defend this nurse, she was insensitive and, at a minimum, overly blunt. But, having said that, I think it is important to remember that hospice exists to support a patient and family during the final stage of a terminal illness. I think it is so much a fact of life for hospice workers that they forget that a patient or a family is not as accepting of this particular fact of life as they are. I know, around here, when you call hospice they make sure that you are not actively seeking curative treatment (you can leave hospice to do that at any time, and you can always seek medical treatment to relieve pain and suffering).
I guess all of this is my way of asking if your mom and dad are truly ready for hospice?