CDC reminds clinicians to have a high suspicion for influenza and recommends rapid antiviral treatment of high-risk patients with suspected influenza. Summary The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this health advisory to notify clinicians that influenza activity remains high in the United States, with an increasing proportion of activity due to influenza A(H3N2) viruses, continued circulation …
Alzheimer disease and other dementias are common diagnoses in long-term care (LTC). In this setting, certified nurse aides (CNAs) provide the majority of care for residents with dementia. The responsibility can be challenging, however, as evidenced by frequent CNA staff turnover. Read about the findings of four focus groups made up of 20 CNAs to understand the unique barriers impacting …
Researchers find that patients who received care under a program that includes a collaborative initiative between nurse practitioners (NPs), doctors, and other medical staff were 29% less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. Collaboration on Skilled Nursing Transitions Reduces 30-Day Readmissions A collaborative initiative between nurse practitioners (NPs), doctors, and other medical staff to help patients …
“Don’t resuscitate this patient; he has a living will,” the nurse told Dr. Monica Williams-Murphy, handing her a document. Williams-Murphy looked at the sheet bearing the signature of the unconscious 78-year-old man, who’d been rushed from a nursing home to the emergency room. “Do everything possible,” it read, with a check approving cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Misunderstandings involving documents meant to guide …
An article from healio.com reports on the study of The Enhanced Care Program, a collaborative initiative between physicians, nurse practitioners and other medical staff to help patients discharged from an acute care facility transition to a skilled nursing facility. Read about the program and the study’s findings here.
Get the resources and training that your facility needs to run an effective antibiotic stewardship program by joining a 12-month national project. Beginning in December 2018, the AHRQ Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use provides participating long-term care facilities with antibiotic use guidelines, expert coaching, online education, improvement tools, patient education materials, and more to help you prevent harms associated with antibiotics, such …
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the bacterium Legionella can cause a serious type of pneumonia called LD in persons at risk. Those at risk include persons who are at least 50 years old, smokers, or those with underlying medical conditions such as chronic lung disease or immunosuppression. Outbreaks have been linked to poorly maintained water systems …
As we age, our ability to adequately respond to summer heat can become a serious problem. Older people are at significant increased risk of heat-related illnesses, known collectively as hyperthermia, during the summer months. Hyperthermia can include heat stroke, heat edema (swelling in your ankles and feet when you get hot), heat syncope (sudden dizziness after exercising in the heat), …
