In a recent issue of the Canadian Journal on Healing, the Canadian Association on Gerontology conducted “A Survey of Nursing Home Organizational Characteristics Associated with Potentially Avoidable Hospital Transfers and Care Quality in One Large British Columbia Health Region.” The researchers first examined previous studies on avoiding hospitalization in nursing…
In the January issue of the Journal of American Medical Directors Association, an article titled “When is a Chronic Wound Infected?” studies various methods of determining when a chronic wound is infected and judges which of these methods is most accurate. The article begins by explaining that the skin is…
On December 14, 2011, Modern Healthcare reported the dangers of extended hours and long shifts in healthcare facilities. While the correlation between exhaustion and increased error may seem obvious, many nurses have difficulty accepting this truth and determining the point at which their fatigue may lead to fatal consequences. The…
On December 14, 2011, Modern Healthcare reported that the Department of Health and Human Services is implementing an incentive program to award up to $216 million to health agencies in an attempt to reduce preventable injuries. Despite the honorable intentions of the program, the truth of the matter is that…
Nursing homes that get reimbursed from Medicare and Medicaid for residents’ services- approximately 96% of all U.S. nursing homes- must be certified and inspected annually. If a nursing home fails to meet federal requirements, inspectors cite the nursing home for violating specific standards (deficiency citations). Violations cited are first assessed…
In nursing homes, staffing levels of registered nurses (RNs) and the amount of RN direct care time are strongly correlated with avoidable nursing home injuries (“adverse clinical outcomes”), including pressure ulcers/sores, urinary tract infections (UTIs), weight loss, and deterioration in the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Because…