Nursing Home residents health issues

Nurses General Nursing

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Could you name some common health issues/or complications that arise for Nursing Home residents.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

Go to the medicare.gov website , then to the nursing home compare link (down on the lower right side) You can read all about how nursing homes are rated.The quality measures are what they look at-things like the number of residents with issues such as pressure sores,incontinence,depression,pain,immobility.They gather this info from the MDS-that's why it's so important that you really know your residents and communicate well with your direct care staff. Your documentation needs to truly reflect each residents needs and abilities. That site is a great resource.As for general health issues we are seeing younger and younger admissions with life long self neglect. HTN,hyperlipidemia + DM=stroke and LTC .We also see alot of CHF,COPD and neorological diseases like MS and Huntington's. THe majority of our residents either fit in the first category or are demented..I saw your profile-good luck with your career-I enjoy LTC

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Go to the medicare.gov website , then to the nursing home compare link (down on the lower right side) You can read all about how nursing homes are rated.The quality measures are what they look at-things like the number of residents with issues such as pressure sores,incontinence,depression,pain,immobility.They gather this info from the MDS-that's why it's so important that you really know your residents and communicate well with your direct care staff. Your documentation needs to truly reflect each residents needs and abilities. That site is a great resource.As for general health issues we are seeing younger and younger admissions with life long self neglect. HTN,hyperlipidemia + DM=stroke and LTC .We also see alot of CHF,COPD and neorological diseases like MS and Huntington's. THe majority of our residents either fit in the first category or are demented..I saw your profile-good luck with your career-I enjoy LTC

:twocents: Take the Medicare ratings with a block of salt. I visit quite a few nursing homes at night, and there are some real gaffes in the ratings some of them receive. I've seen highly rated places that reek of urine from the parking lot on in. Others where the staff is too busy watching TV/sleeping/texting/gaming, etc to bother w/Pt care. Does it really matter what the official staff:Pt ratio is if the staff is just dead lazy?

Others that get mediocre marks are first rate facilities, with caring and knowledgeable staff.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
:twocents: Take the Medicare ratings with a block of salt..
I happen to agree with you but it does help answer the OP's question. All of us in LTC know what the survey process is really like-the OP is new to the area.
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What are some of the most common daily problems with patient care in nursing homes?

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

When I worked LTC the main issues were 30-40 residents /1 nurse; not enough supplies come the end of each month (money runs low - no supplies ordered at the end of month - including applesauce for meds-OJ in floor fridge for diabetics low BS in AM), few CNA's (I worked a 30 bed SNU and had 1 1/2 CNA's - shared an aide with the adjacent 30 bed SNU) there were other issues but those are the main reasons I no longer do LTC. In an 8 hr shift w/ 30 residents that gave me 16 min per pt for meds, tx, charting and whatever else -- hard to give good care no matter how much you care:crying2:

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When I worked LTC the main issues were 30-40 residents /1 nurse; not enough supplies come the end of each month (money runs low - no supplies ordered at the end of month - including applesauce for meds-OJ in floor fridge for diabetics low BS in AM), few CNA's (I worked a 30 bed SNU and had 1 1/2 CNA's - shared an aide with the adjacent 30 bed SNU) there were other issues but those are the main reasons I no longer do LTC. In an 8 hr shift w/ 30 residents that gave me 16 min per pt for meds, tx, charting and whatever else -- hard to give good care no matter how much you care:crying2:

May I ask, did you start working at a hospital instead and is it easier? I only have experience in ltc and hospice so was wondering.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
What are some of the most common daily problems with patient care in nursing homes?

I'll take a stab at this one.If you are talking about direct patient care then managing the nursing assistants can be a challenge. You are going to have lots of issues and you'll need your administrations backing.. Also- making sure care is delivered in accordance with the resident's care plan and monitoring staff for infection control and privacy issues.This is one of our biggest challenges at this time. Administering meds appropriately (again-check that medicare.gov web site for more info) The charge nurse is where the buck stops-you have to make sure the meds are available,ordered correctly etc. One missing dose of any med is a problem and can generate alot of phone calls,charting and incident reports. You'll often have to handle disruptive or disgruntled family/visitors and family complaints.You'll have to make sure appointments are scheduled,residents are ready to go and have all of the required paperwork.You have to make sure labs are being done via your Pand P and follow through with results. Then you'll have to deal with any emergencies-falls,skin tears,chest pain,exacerbation of COPD,hypo or hyer glycemia...This is just the beginning of the list....

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