Med-surg = Acute care?

Hi everyone,

Is med-surg nursing synonymous with acute care nursing? Or is acute care something completely different?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Any type of nursing that occurs within the walls of an acute care hospital is generally considered acute care. This would include med/surg, telemetry, ortho, neuro, critical care, stepdown, progressive care, ER, OR, PACU, etc.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

I've seen skilled nursing referred to as med-surg, as well.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I've seen skilled nursing referred to as med-surg, as well.

However, skilled nursing that takes place inside a SNF (skilled nursing facility) is not considered acute care or med/surg. It is regarded as post-acute care, regardless of how many postop hips you take care of or how many IVs you hang.

Skilled nursing that takes place inside an acute care hospital (progressive care, ortho, cardiac rehab, etc) is acute care nursing.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

However, skilled nursing that takes place inside a SNF (skilled nursing facility) is not considered acute care or med/surg. It is regarded as post-acute care, regardless of how many postop hips you take care of or how many IVs you hang.

Skilled nursing that takes place inside an acute care hospital (progressive care, ortho, cardiac rehab, etc) is acute care nursing.

Thabks for adding even more detail to the explanation, Commuter!!

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

However, skilled nursing that takes place inside a SNF (skilled nursing facility) is not considered acute care or med/surg. It is regarded as post-acute care, regardless of how many postop hips you take care of or how many IVs you hang.

Skilled nursing that takes place inside an acute care hospital (progressive care, ortho, cardiac rehab, etc) is acute care nursing.

So it's not the kind of care you receive it's where you receive it? Or is it how it is billed?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

So it's not the kind of care you receive it's where you receive it? Or is it how it is billed?

It has more to do with how it is billed.

Surgical staple removal and peritoneal dialysis are the same procedural skills whether performed at an acute care hospital or a SNF. However, the SNF cannot charge for individual procedures or supplies like the acute care hospital can.

Hence, everything is neatly rolled into one low fee at the SNF, typically about $300 per day. On the other hand, a hospital stay where those same procedures are performed would cost $3,000+ per day. This is why hospitals bum-rush to discharge somewhat acutely sick patients to the SNF.