Hospital observation stays have been increasing, as have Medicare auditors’ denial of claims related to short inpatient stays on the basis that they should have been counted as observation stays....
Volunteering opened my eyes to the plight of our LTC system
By
Colleen McConnaha
Dec 06, 2021
Several weeks ago, I began volunteering as a care assistant at a nursing home that is part of the system my husband works for. It has been a rewarding, eye-opening, and somewhat concerning experience that...
Advice on primary permanent nursing
By
Ellen Rychlik
Apr 08, 2015
There is several benefits to considering an Acuity Based Primary Permanent Nursing Assignment in your efforts to attract acute and managed care providers.
Nursing Home Compare revisions deserve only 2 stars
By
Steven Littlehale
May 13, 2019
Recent changes to the Nursing Home Compare website leave a lot to be desired. I give them two out of a possible four stars.
Ballot question on nurse-patient ratios shone a spotlight on vacancies
By
David Wilkins
Jan 09, 2019
Time-to-fill challenges in senior living and post-acute are often characterized by multiple underlying conditions, including a lack of data or knowledge of benchmarks, challenges around skillsets and organizational...
Can software really reduce nurse burnout?
By
Jon Forknell
Oct 31, 2018
Finding the scheduling program that best meets the staffing demands of your healthcare facility will reduce the risk of nurse burnout and improve overall patient satisfaction.
Advice for nursing homes seeking five stars
By
Bardia Anvar
May 23, 2016
Serious concerns about the quality of care in nursing homes had been expressed for decades.
How old is too old to work?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Aug 05, 2014
A recent article in Health Affairs centered on nurses delaying retirement and claimed this is boosting the workforce. Should we believe this?
Understanding and responding to PTSD
By
Robert W. Figlerski, Ph.D.
Feb 17, 2017
I was recently asked to evaluate a skilled nursing resident who, in his short time at the facility, was presenting a confusing picture to staff.
Catch a falling star
By
Kim Lewis
Mar 14, 2016
It is time for all SNFs to embrace that if they are not actively moving forward with a plan to improve their stars, they will likely be find themselves falling behind.