Whether you work in post-acute care, urgent care, an ER, a physician office, or home health, we all use stethoscopes, right? Well, a recent study published in PubMed made me shudder a little bit! We do it and we witness it every day, nurse takes a blood pressure and hangs the stethoscope around her/his neck. The doctor checks lung sounds …
Person-centered care plan, is it real or is it yet another buzz word? Person centered care planning (PCP) is a process directed by the person who receives the support, along with their chosen group of people, to create a vision for their future and organize the services and supports they need to achieve their goals. PCP focuses on the person’s …
Yes, the RED hand, the hand no one wants to see on their Medicare Care Compare site, right? In June 2023, Long Term Care Community Coalition published the results of a study “They Make You Pay”, How Fear of Retaliation Silences Residents in America’s Nursing Home. As “caregivers”, yes, that is you, it doesn’t matter if you are providing direct …
Yes, we are on a roll with this topic because it is on everyone’s minds and the subject comes up in pretty much every conversation I have with providers. As a huge fan of “retention”, I have read pretty much everything published on the subject and one thing continues to ring loud and clear. How we connect with our staff …
I for one am a firm believer in retaining quality staff, however, recruitment is the word of the times. I challenge you to identify one provider in post-acute care who feels they are “over-staffed”. Indeed, most providers are struggling to maintain bare minimum staffing numbers and with the threat of mandated staffing requirements on the horizon, it can make you …
As we continue our journey through the COVID-19 pandemic aftermath, we need to be aware that there continues to be an uptick in cases in some parts of the country. Hospitalizations were up again this month, and we are seeing more people donning masks again as a precaution. Does it concern me? Maybe a little but then I think about …
It made my heart happy to see the Quality Award recipients honored at the AHCA/NCAL annual convention. What an honor but do you know what is involved in the award application process? It takes a very focused, committed, interdisciplinary team to focus on their goals and rally their team! What does the quality award program mean to you? “The AHCA/NCAL …
Ugh, the flu season, it is back and predicted to be a more difficult year due to last year being relatively mild. If you have never had the flu, trust me, you don’t want to experience it. The body aches, fever, chills, sore throat, cough, difficulty breathing, oh and don’t forget the possible GI symptoms some people experience! Sounds great, …
Failure to identify and treat a resident change in condition continues to be a hot spot button for litigation? It has been in the “top 3” for many years and as we promote the “aging in place” philosophy, residents may be at higher risk for experiencing changes in condition. The federal regulations are clear: A “significant change in condition” is …
We all know that “fat” is not good for us, even “good fats” in excess can cause health issues, but did you know that it may also reduce brain volume? Yikes! In a study of healthy, middle-aged adults, greater visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat predicted brain atrophy especially in women. Hmmm, that just doesn’t seem fair especially for post-menopausal women, …
