I remember my first job as an LPN in a skilled nursing facility, it was frightening! I was hired to work the afternoon shift; however, I was trained on the dayshift, big difference, right? After a 3 day “orientation” period where I learned where the fire pulls were, where the kitchen was, how to turn off the valves for gas, …
Remember Third Shift!
Working night shifts has been associated with various negative effects, including fatigue, sleep disturbances, and workplace errors. Why is shift work a problem? Well, apparently shift work causes circadian rhythms to misalign with the demands of the environment. So, what can we do to ensure our caregivers are rested and awake to provide quality care to our residents? According to …
Viral Video – Sleeping Staff
A video posted on a social media platform shows a female staff member slumping at a medical cart, apparently asleep. Of course, the video went viral with more than 50,000 views and shared more than 2,000 times. Yikes. Who would post such a thing? Shocking, it was a co-worker at the nursing home. Why would a staff member do something …
Staffing Mandates
CMS is actively involved in a study, physically in nursing centers across the country to determine what minimum staffing numbers should look like. The study is suspected to be an effort by CMS to support their goal of minimum staffing requirements. The outcomes of the study won’t be available until April but are rumored to come out earlier so AHCA/NCAL, …
The State of Nursing
Nurse.org posted an anonymous survey in 2021 that was awarded the Gold Award for the Digital Health Awards, Best Media/Publications Article, Spring 2022! Congratulations to them and to all the nurses who took the time to share their experiences and feelings regarding the state of nursing. Nearly 1500 nurses participated in the survey, and they were asked about real issues …
Holidays, Viruses, and Capacity
Let’s face it, they just don’t mix! There are some dire projections out there including what some are calling the risk of a “tripledemic!” Just what we need, right? Cases of RSV are rising quickly in young children, filling ICU beds, in fact, most hospitalizations today are related to RSV and not COVID. Why? Because we have weakened our immunity, …
Ending the Temporary Nurse Aides
As the world turns, I shake my head, yes, this is going to be an “opinion blog”, sorry! If you recall, back in April 2020, CMS issued a waiver that allowed centers to utilize temporary nurse aides. If you also recall, this was in the throws of COVID-19 when staffing was challenged. Hmmmm…..isn’t staffing challenged today as well? So, in …
Staffing and Rapid Tests
Staffing challenges have become the “norm” in post-acute care, there just aren’t enough caregivers to go around. Is this due to the pandemic? Maybe, maybe not, but whatever the cause, we are all struggling to staff our centers with competent, caring staff. Hopefully, we can avoid the “warm body syndrome” where we hire employees to “fill positions” versus hiring employees …
Reviewing Staffing Agency Contracts from an Insurance Perspective
Staffing shortages continue to dominate the industry rendering it difficult for post-acute care providers to maintain consistent levels of staff and quality care. To ease the staffing burden, providers are requesting assistance from staffing agencies. While this is an efficient solution, providers should try and avoid some common pitfalls when it comes to signing staffing agreements. Reviewing the indemnification and …
Negotiating Agency Contracts
Staffing shortages continue to dominate the industry rendering it difficult for long-term care providers to maintain consistent levels of staff and quality care. Most providers are watching their staff quit the industry entirely or switch over to temporary staffing agencies to make more money. To ease the staffing burden, providers are requesting assistance from staffing agencies. While this is an …