I am not sure we can create magical days for everyone in our long-term care facilities (though I have seen downright miracles for some short-term rehab patients!). But I do think we can create magical...
Spacely Sprockets and the future of medical care
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Apr 02, 2014
So does anyone remember the cartoon “The Jetsons”? You know, George and Jane, daughter Judy, son Elroy and, of course, the dog, Astro. It’s kind of fun to see how their 1960s and 1980s...
FDA — full of poop?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Jun 11, 2013
Every few days I read the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) news to see if there is anything relevant to eldercare that I should be aware of. Recently, I came across an extremely eye-opening item.
Ode to The Annual Survey (‘The DON Blues’)
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Nov 27, 2018
Oh, annual survey,You stress me so,No matter how we prepare,I’ll dread you, though … Despite skills labs, process reviews,And competency checksFor some reason at survey timeI fret a big hex I’ve...
What’s your view from the outside?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Oct 01, 2013
I bet a few of you are going to be thinking while you read this, “What has this got to do with a healthcare blog?” Give me a minute and you will see where I am going with it.You will see a...
You go, girls! A year of nakedness
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Sep 06, 2012
If you think you’ve seen it all, you haven’t. That’s because they didn’t bare all, just almost all. This is awesome. A dozen women in their seventies and eighties decided to raise...
Observation overload
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Sep 05, 2017
OK, so any nurse reading this will probably relate, but we are so used to observing our patients/residents that we tend to “over observe” when not at work.
Sounding off on personal care alarms: Enough already
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Mar 18, 2014
We all know how technology is supposed to help us. And for the most part, it does. But sometimes, too much of something isn’t a good thing. I’m talking about personal care alarms. While they...
The ‘Icky’ Dickey Amendment — our problem with gun nuts
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Dec 15, 2015
I have a riddle for you. How many young adults are in long-term care facilities because of gun violence? The answer: No one knows because there is a ban restricting federal funding for gun violence research....
Lost in Medicare Part D land
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Dec 10, 2013
My mom called me to relay her “tragic” story of trying to sign up for a Medicare Part D plan. She hadn’t signed up for one, and didn’t feel that she needed one, but at lunch her...