Pre Admission Information Dilemma

[gerilyn]

I am also the ADON/MDS Co Ordinator at my facility and find it extremely difficult to get concise and accurate information regarding residents extensive services at the hospital. I end up reading pages and pages of Nurse's notes (thank God for nursing documentation) to find out when foleys were dc'd, when patients rec'd their last IV medication and IV fluids. I have to play Sherlock Holmes to figure out if there are planned follow ups pending on issues that came up while patient was in the hospital (f/u's that don't pertain to the reason they require rehab) I probe and can hopefully find out if they are going to require equipment that often is not mentioned anywhere. It can be frustrating to sift thru piles of papers to find out a person's weight (do they require bariatric equipment?) There has to be a way to streamlining pertinent information and assuring that we aren't missing reimbursement concerns before a bed is ultimately offered. I hate having to be concerned about reimbursement but we are a small not for profit rural facility in a state that is cutting the budget on nursing homes across the board and want to insure we remain able to provide the kind of service patients deserve.

[mamamerlee, LPN]

If you do not already have a pre-admission checklist or info sheet or transfer sheet, the I strongly suggest you develop one. You can address all these issues by faxing a blank to the discharge planner/MSW or whoever is making these arrangements. It should not be your total responsibility to read thru an entire chart.

Most recent wt/date

Indwelling or external cath? Last changed?

IV site? Where? Last changed?

Pending MD appts?