With the CoronaVirus paralyzing the country, we have many opportunities to assist in preventing the spread of infection. CMS and the CDC have recommended limiting visitation to “essential” visitors only. When we talk about “essential” that could mean something different to different people however in a nutshell, “if this person doesn’t come in, will you be unable to meet the needs of your residents?” Pretty simple, it is all about providing the care needed by the residents, not about our convenience or the feelings of family members. That said, how we manage the communication process with family members is critical, remember, they are worried about their loved ones and your residents will only benefit from communication with their family, so please go to the Resource and Education Center at https://riskmanagement.healthcapusa.com/ for advice and ideas for promoting communication with family.

On the topic of Hospice, CMS is committed to protecting the health and safety of all residents; however, when end-of-life care is needed there are exemptions to the visitation rule. Please refer to the website below for a complete summary of this guidance. It is important that we respect our resident’s right to hospice care if requested, and following these guidelines will assist you in meeting their needs while maintaining infection control practices to protect your residents. Thank you, take care of yourself and wash your hands!

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/healthcare-facilities/index.html