Handling Admissions in Your Facility

[donmomofnine]

How are admissions handled in your facility? I have an "admissions" nurse leaving and I would like to look at changing the role. Currently she does all fielding of inquiries, tours, signing of the paperwork, phone calls, and she does all the HMO recertifications.

I think part of her duties do not require a nurse (more like for our marketing dept). I think maybe the job (if it remains an RN) would require her doing more of the actual admission assessments.

Anyway, how are these duties handled at your facility? Thanks in advance for your help!!:)

[markjrn]

How are admissions handled in your facility? I have an "admissions" nurse leaving and I would like to look at changing the role. Currently she does all fielding of inquiries, tours, signing of the paperwork, phone calls, and she does all the HMO recertifications.

I think part of her duties do not require a nurse (more like for our marketing dept). I think maybe the job (if it remains an RN) would require her doing more of the actual admission assessments.

Anyway, how are these duties handled at your facility? Thanks in advance for your help!!:)

I've worked in alot of facilities (when I was a traveler), and have never seen an admission nurse. So I guess it's safe to say that I am an admission nurse. :)

In my mind, they should admit the patient and maybe help with any stat orders. I don't know about the whole "touring" thing - I'm not sure what it is and it doesn't sound like a nursing function, unless it means introducing the pt to his room/bed controls/call light, etc.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

We have an admissions director who receives all the referrals. She is NOT a nurse. Then, either the DNS or I, the ADNS, review the referral to determine if we are going to accept the patient...based on bed availability, payor source, nursing needs, and the biggest BEHAVIORS. Once they are admitted, the admissions director has to "sign them in"...bunches of papers from corportate. The nurses on the floor do the actual admissions. Usually the unit manager will write out the orders and the med nurses do the physical assessments. I am the case manager for all the Managed Care patients so that's another step after we accept them clinically. I have to get an auth. from the ins. co. I also have to fax regular updates to the ins.co if they need more time. In my facility, it wouldn't work to have an admissions nurse. Everyone needs to know how it's done. We get admissions 24/7....straight from the ER sometimes. Last week we got a woman straight from the OR!!! She didn't even go to recovery...!!

I've always thought that the admissions director should be a nurse, but my facility doesn't agree.

And as far as tours, the admission director usually does them, except for the dementia unit in which case the program director does it, and if neither of them are around, it's either me or one of the supervisors...surely doesn't need to be a licensed person to give a tour.

[Bird2]

How are admissions handled in your facility? I have an "admissions" nurse leaving and I would like to look at changing the role. Currently she does all fielding of inquiries, tours, signing of the paperwork, phone calls, and she does all the HMO recertifications.

I think part of her duties do not require a nurse (more like for our marketing dept). I think maybe the job (if it remains an RN) would require her doing more of the actual admission assessments.

Anyway, how are these duties handled at your facility? Thanks in advance for your help!!:)

Marketing does all of the front end work. A nurse usually the MDS coordinator does a final screen, usually she goes to the hospital to see the pt and review the chart. The floor nurse does the admission except for the code status, finacial paperwork, etc.

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

In my facility in Indiana, we handle admissions almost exactly as CapeCod's facility does on the previous post. The only addition, is our social service actually does the "paperwork" with the families on admit (consent to treat, what pharmacy, yes/no to podiatrist/dentist, etc). Marketing Director (non nurse) brings us all referrals, nsg management does all pre assessments to determine if we will accept, nurse on floor at time of admit does all of physician orders, body assessments, and such. Nursing management (DON, ADON or MDS) does follow up w/ insurance calls, etc. Lots of time nsg managment ends up doing admit orders, assess, etc to help keep floor nurses from getting behind.

[markjrn]

How are admissions handled in your facility? I have an "admissions" nurse leaving and I would like to look at changing the role. Currently she does all fielding of inquiries, tours, signing of the paperwork, phone calls, and she does all the HMO recertifications.

I think part of her duties do not require a nurse (more like for our marketing dept). I think maybe the job (if it remains an RN) would require her doing more of the actual admission assessments.

Anyway, how are these duties handled at your facility? Thanks in advance for your help!!:)

Oops, sorry! I didn't realize this was in the LTC forum. My apologies!

[chunnice]

How are admissions handled in your facility? I have an "admissions" nurse leaving and I would like to look at changing the role. Currently she does all fielding of inquiries, tours, signing of the paperwork, phone calls, and she does all the HMO recertifications.

I think part of her duties do not require a nurse (more like for our marketing dept). I think maybe the job (if it remains an RN) would require her doing more of the actual admission assessments.

Anyway, how are these duties handled at your facility? Thanks in advance for your help!!:)

Well,

When I worked as the Admissions person for my facility I did all the touring, Admitted the person completely..assessments, meds..everything..but.. we are a small facility. Most Admissions persons are not Nurses..so they are limited to the marketing end of it.

Now I am the Nurse Manager and I admit them. I have even given some tours when the Marketing person is not there...talk about Deja Vu..lol!

Laura