NURSING HOMES

APRNs improve health outcomes in nursing homes by helping prevent delays in treatment and expensive hospital transfers

The use of advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) in nursing homes improved the quality of care residents received and lowered the number of hospital and ER transfers, according to a University of Missouri study.

”Billions of dollars are spent transferring residents from nursing homes to hospitals,” which could have been avoided through detection of early illness and faster clinical decision-making.

RISING ACUITY

Skilled nursing providers are dealing with ‘very heavy burden’ of rising patient acuity

Skilled Nursing News reports on the trend of higher acuity among nursing home residents coupled with workforce shortages.  Increased use of technology and ancillary services can assist providers in managing these patients.

FALLS

4 ways to reduce fall risk in the most vulnerable hours

Strategies for reducing fall risks in senior care facilities include the use of technology, knowing individual dementia behaviors and the affect on sleep, assessing the sleep environment and implementing interventions, and being aware of any disruptions in an individual’s circadian rhythm.

​Data shows that fall risk peaks between 6-9 pm and again from 3-6 am, when senior care staffing is reduced. What’s more, 50 percent of residents who fall overnight will have another overnight fall.

It has become critical for senior care providers to learn why falls are happening among their residents and how to prevent them.

Meanwhile, documenting current practices and policies is a smart approach in the event a facility must respond to claims or litigation. Excelas’ Comprehensive Integrated Timeline Tool (pronounced “kit”) is an excellent way to document, preserve, organize, and present the actions your organization takes to address patient/resident and workplace safety.  The chronology will contain information from the medical records, as well as relevant facility information.

WORKPLACE CULTURE

100% of Excelas employees work remotely

75% of Excelas, LLC employees worked remotely before covid, now 100% of Excelas, LLC employees work remotely. Our culture promotes autonomy and flexibility, and we strive to have our leaders be enablers, not enforcers.

In a recent article, The Relationship Between Leader Behaviors and Employee Engagement in a Virtual Work Environment (University of Pennsylvania ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2022. 29062235) the author, Dr. Raghu Krishnamoorthy, shares some examples of situations where micro-understanding is necessary:

*Setting priorities and clarifying.
*Problem solving.
*Checking in and showing compassion.

We totally agree with his viewpoint! We have found this to be particularly important with new team members.

LATEST UPDATE

Excelas’ PREP Act Updates list summaries of relevant articles and selected court decisions, as well as additional recent court decisions, with hyperlinks for reference. We are continually updating cases as information becomes available. If you have insights to share, we welcome your contribution, with credit. The attached update is the most recent, including listings through early January 2023.