Understanding the Role of Rehabilitation in Skilled Nursing Facilities
Rehabilitation helps individuals overcome the physical or emotional challenges that may have prevented them from engaging in activities they once did. Nursing care is an integral part of this process, ensuring individuals have all the tools they need to progress through therapy.
Nurses work in tandem with physical and occupational therapists to provide comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of recovery. This team approach fosters a sense of empowerment in individuals, encouraging them to participate actively in their rehabilitation.
Medical Management
Some patients hospitalized for complex illness or serious surgery find themselves debilitated upon discharge. They may lack the ability to move about safely or care for themselves without assistance, and their medical teams must put in orders for them to go to a skilled nursing facility Missouri.
Short-term residential facilities, provide patients with physical, occupational, and speech therapy to regain independence with the help of skilled nursing staff. They also offer supportive services like wound care, intravenous injections, and medication monitoring.
As you research facilities, look for one that offers the therapy your doctor recommends and has experience treating your condition. Ask about nurse-to-patient ratios to see if they meet or exceed your state’s legal staffing requirements. Lower patient ratios mean more nurses are available to assist with your daily needs, reducing the chance that your medical and personal needs will be overlooked.
Wound Care
Most people expect to go home after hospital discharge. Still, sometimes, the weakness and limited strength that a medical crisis or surgery can cause makes it unsafe for patients to return directly to their homes. That is why many are transferred to a rehabilitation/skilled nursing facility.
Many of these patients have complex wounds that require specialized care to prevent infection and heal properly. Infections and chronic pressure ulcers can lead to a return to the hospital, so skilled nursing facilities must work with doctors specializing in wound care to avoid rehospitalization and F-tag penalties from CMS.
It is also important to remember that every patient is different and heals differently. A good SNF will only discharge a patient once they no longer need around-the-clock medical care or intensive therapy. Sending them back and forth to a specialty clinic is not only ineffective but can place additional physical stress on the frail patients.
Emotional Support
During short-term rehabilitation, people experience many emotional reactions, such as frustration, sadness, fear, or denial. The interdisciplinary team must know these moments and provide support, kindness, and reassurance.
Unlike hospitals, skilled nursing facilities offer 24-hour care by licensed nurses and trained support staff. Patients can access physical, occupational, and speech therapy services as well. No spelling, grammar or punctuation errors were detected in the original text.A physician oversees the care, and the treatment plan is individualized to the patient’s needs.
A skilled nursing facility may also have a lower staff-to-patient ratio than a hospital, which helps to foster more personal and intimate relationships. A person’s progress can be monitored more closely to determine when they are ready to return home or move to a permanent residence, such as an assisted living community, a continuing care retirement community, or a nursing home. All of these options are regulated and certified by the state. Some of these communities also offer dental, vision, and podiatry services.
Transition Planning
Discharging patients from hospital to skilled nursing facility (SNF) is a unique part of the care continuum. They are medically complex with advanced chronic illnesses, highly dependent on caregivers, and experience a high rate of death or rehospitalization. This study sought to understand the challenges of this patient population and identify factors that promoted a successful transition.
SNF staff reported that interdisciplinary care and the ability to provide a unified care plan for the patient and their family were crucial to success. However, they also identified barriers to effective planning, including competing priorities within their departments. One SNF CM reported that her department must balance utilization review (UR) and discharge planning functions.
Despite their best efforts, some hospital and SNF respondents needed help to secure adequate and timely discharge plans. It was often due to system-level policies that affect patient disposition, facility relationships, and reimbursement. These findings underscore improving patient and provider coordination during care transitions.