What are the Most Common Emergencies in Long-Term Care?

mageean · Jul 3, 2003

In my experience there are many emergencies in LTC

Heart attack

Stroke

Falls and Fractures

Choking

self harm episodes

and the list goes on!

adrienurse, LPN · Jul 3, 2003

Injestion of strange and foreign objects

Bowel obstruction d/t constipation

Dehydration

Shamrock, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2003

I'd say the most common are as stated in the above two post:

dehydration and falls/fx.

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2003

What about seizures, diabetic emergencies and something along the lines of behaviors (extereme agitation/halucinations/ res to res attacks)???

neneRN, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2003

I only see them coming into the ER, but I'd have to say the most frequent is ALOC. It usually turns out to be pneumonia or a UTI as the cause, but I'd consider it an emergency prehospital since there's always the possibility of CVA.

Sue RN GNC(C) · Jul 3, 2003

Choking , for us, would be the #1 Emergency.. followed by resp. distress and then bleeding (ABC, get it?)

anything else would determine on a great deal of other factors.. degree of intervention, history, current status

because we are able to give IV therapy, oxygen therapy and highly qualified nursing care we are able to treat UTI's, pneumonia, stroke etc in our facility as much as we are able..transfer to ER in an acute hospital is done only as a last resort.

Catsrule16, RN · Jul 4, 2003

I think I answered this question in the Rehab Nursing Forum but here goes.

As a State Surveyor, these are what I find in chart reviews as major causes for recent hospitalizations of residents in Skilled Nursing Facilities.

Falls with injuries, COPD exacerbation, CHF exacerbation, aspiration, unstable blood sugars, new onset or extension of CVA's. Don't forget altered mental status due to UTI and Dehydration.

Rnltc · Jul 12, 2003

I have been in LTC for many years and I would have to say the most common I have seen is related to

Blood Sugars

Falls with injury fractures and head injuries

Resp related conditions

MI

high temps with alter mental status

The first 4 are the ones that usually get a 911 call for transportation.

graysonret · Jul 15, 2003

I've found falls usually the most common. Then temps, then resp. problems. 911'd a patient Friday with a drop in HR from 76 to 34. Couldn't get a BP at all.