Fear – The Driving Force

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

On October 21, 2020, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality published an article on PSNet Patient Safety Network that patients are delaying or forgoing routine, urgent, and emergent health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the high risk of these behaviors and possibly an overabundance of caution by the general public, a cohort study was conducted that included …

Coronavirus

Relax – Or Not?

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

Weeks after issuing social distancing orders to suppress severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and reduce growth in cases of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19), all U.S. states and the District of Columbia partially or fully relaxed these measures. In a study published in the Oxford Academic – Clinical Infectious Diseases on October 3, 2020, researchers identified an …

COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers

Angie SzumlinskiAnnouncements, News

Following President Trump’s declaration of the rapidly evolving COVID-19 outbreak as a national emergency, on March 13, 2020 the Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services, Alex Azar authorized waivers and modifications under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act (the Act). As a result, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued blanket waivers consistent with those …

Know Your Resident’s Comorbidities!

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

A recent study by Annie Wong-Beringer, PharmD, FCCP and colleagues found that the shorter the time from the onset of COVID symptoms to hospitalization, the more serious the disease becomes and a higher mortality rate! The study included 252 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 between March 14 and May 14. Patients presenting within three days after symptoms onset tended to …

Three Day Rule

Angie SzumlinskiAnnouncements, Featured

A Skilled Nursing News article highlights that during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Seema Verna announced changes to the rules governing nursing homes including waiving the requirement of a three-day hospital visit for Medicare to cover an SNF stay. The goal of waiving this requirement was to reserve hospital beds for …

Process Failures – Increased Risk of Infection

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

In the United States, an estimated 21 million patients seek medical treatment for respiratory infections each year. Severe respiratory infections such as croup, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia are caused by bacterial and viral agents spread through respiratory droplets. Most viral pneumonias in the United States are caused by influenza and hospital associated infectious agents through respiratory droplets. In order to determine …

AAPACN 20201 Awards- Nominate a Hero Today!

Angie SzumlinskiNews

The American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing is now accepting nominations for their 2021 awards. Striving to honor today’s nurse heroes, they want to reward the work of post-acute care nurses in several categories: Integrity – Actions and behaviors displaying the highest level of leadership and ethics Innovation – Actions and behaviors that display best practices and innovative solutions Inspiration …

Testing Getting Testy

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, News

The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the world in such a way that many small businesses including post-acute care centers are struggling to stay afloat. Restrictions on what we can and can’t do, who comes, who goes, where they go, and for how long has challenged the most seasoned administrator/owner since early March. Add to that the CMS requirement for testing, …

Vaccine or IC Practices?

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

Historically, public health messaging for pneumococcal disease prevention has centered around vaccination. While this remains paramount, a recent study conducted in China and other countries in East Asia highlights the key role of behavior and public health measures in reducing the transmission of S. pneumoniae. Older adults and high-risk individuals should consider adopting more meticulous infection control practices such as …

COVID Isolation Units and “Flu”

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

In a recent article published in Skilled Nursing News, they discussed how the COVID-19 isolation units were used to combat the virus in skilled nursing facilities and how they may now be helpful in preventing the spread of influenza. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took steps in March to make it easier to transfer residents within facilities …