It’s a beautiful spring day in April in Northeast Ohio, and there are four inches of snow on the ground. It’s covering the daffodils and the apple blossoms. This is not unusual nor unexpected,...
Use of the Incident Command System during infectious disease outbreaks
By
Stan Szpytek
Apr 17, 2020
Compliance with the Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers Final Rule indicates that skilled nursing facilities (SNF) along with other healthcare...
Long-term care’s challenges, and the universal solution
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 25, 2019
With not enough bodies to do the work and increasingly complex regulations to contend with in long-term care, technology is going to be the way to salvation.
How to support depressed workers and reduce absenteeism
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 11, 2018
As a consulting psychologist, my official job is to provide psychological services to the residents of the nursing homes in which I work. Occasionally, though, I’m asked by a department head to informally...
Does an administrator affect the success of a director of nurses?
By
Peg Tobin
Aug 01, 2018
My company, Tobin & Associates, is currently conducting a training program for nurse leaders funded through the Civil Monetary Penalty Grants.
Happy Long-Term Care Day!
By
Gary Tetz
Nov 17, 2017
I had a birthday recently. OK, more than just recently. Tuesday. My long-term care colleagues were kind, supportive and treated me to an exquisite lunch. But the rest I’ve had to deal with on my...
A former surveyor tells THE key to getting good star ratings
By
Leslie Mahoney, RN, BSN
May 14, 2018
Until the State Operations Manual becomes the quintessential tool for regulatory compliance, a 5-star rating will be out of reach for skilled nursing providers. It’s as simple as that.
Physiatrists: Optimizing and expediting PAC
By
Lauren Evans
Aug 10, 2017
With Medicare essentially stamping “declined” on more and more attempts to discharge post-acute patients to inpatient rehab facility care, skilled nursing facilities have become the preferred...
The blues drummers of long-term care
By
Gary Tetz
Jan 26, 2017
After witnessing a musical performance that left me amazed and stupefied, I went home with a flash of insight and a long-sought analogy — facility administrators are the blues drummers of long-term care.
Up in the air, and up on the ground
By
Gary Tetz
Aug 25, 2016
This isn’t just a story about the World War II veteran who got to fly again, inspiring though it most certainly was. I know, because I was there — holding a video camera, unsteadily at times, as...