Hours spent on the phone?

[Sianhayes]

I am trying to figure out if I want to take a job as a SNF manager but have some questions.When you have an open bed are you bombarded with hospitals and case managers constantly calling you to try and claim that bed for their patient?

Are the hospitals etc just cold calling you? So do you constantly get calls/requests from multiple facilities in one day about one open bed? If so does that drive you insane?

How many hours a day would you say on average you might spend talking to facilities about open beds.

Just interested as if it's a lot of phone calls, it might not be the job for me!

Thanks for any feedback

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Will admissions be your job? Most places have an admissions coordinator that does this.

You will still need to use the phone...calling docs, labs, families, making appts, calling the pharm......

[Sianhayes]

Yes they do! I forgot! Phew! Wow, that poor person must be overwhelmed with calls from acute facilities asking "is there room at the inn"!

I can deal with all the other calls but to do admissions on top I was thinking it was going to be a lot!

I will have better insight into the admission persons role though!

Thanks

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

But you really do want that open bed filled. Census is key in LTC. To many open beds and you start having to cut staff, have less $ for supplies and a host of other problems. It is NEVER a problem to have several hospitals calling daily looking for an open bed. It allows the facility to be "picky" about who they take. On the other hand, if you have a bunch of open beds and only a rare hospital calling with a potential admit then you are much more likely to get "stuck" with whatever they throw your way....this is often the behavior nightmare that the picky people got to turn away!

A ringing phone is a beautiful thing.

[Sianhayes]

Excellent point .Thanks

Is there a system in place for streamlining communication on line for bed availability or is it all done by phone?

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Agree with Nascar..picking your residents is a lot better than the alternative!

Most referals etc are coming over via fax or computer email anymore.

On the weekends, the staff nurse/ supervisor/ charge nurse handles admissions and referals. We admit at all hours of the day too.

[lumbarpain, ADN, RN]

When I worked in a SNF , as Charge Nurse I never had anything to do with what beds were open on the unit...I knew I had them but it was up to the One office manager to arrange and know what was open and not. I wasnt innundated with phone calls. I was never called by anyone if their were beds open. It went through the admitting office...a girl that did practically everything at one desk downstairs. I was 3-11 also...Nights was responsible for doing a bedcount/discharges/new admission census which was relatively easy.