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Environment > Skilled Nursing
Our 18-bed skilled nursing care unit offers specialized care
to patients who have reached a point in their recovery where
they no longer need acute hospitalization yet aren't physically
able to care for themselves at home.
Patient populations: Most of our patients need
rehabilitation services. We also have patients who are
recovering from orthopedic injuries and cardiovascular
illnesses or surgeries.
Average daily census: 14 patients
Average length of patient stay: 8 to 9 days
Work environment: Team-focused approach to providing
active participation in each patient's plan of care.
We have an interdisciplinary care planning team that
meets weekly with patients, their families and
all disciplines involved in the patient's care. These
meetings help to ensure that patients are receiving the
necessary services and that their needs are being met.
We also have a utilization review team that meets five
days a week, involving all disciplines. This team reviews
the services provided to our skilled patients to ensure
that services are being provided according to our standards
of care. This team also assists with pre-planning a patient's
discharge to ensure that the patient will receive all
of the services that will be necessary following discharge.
Skill mix: RNs are responsible for assessing patients,
developing their plan of care, providing interventions
as necessary and re-evaluating patients. An RN staffs
each shift and an RN preceptor orients staff to long-term
patient care guidelines. LPNs function as team leaders
with an RN and administer medications and skilled treatments,
documenting patient responses to those, and also assist
in team care planning.
Our care team also includes a social worker assigned to the unit, who
sees each patient daily. The social worker assists with family interactions
and financial and discharge planning. An activities director also sees
patients daily, either in group activities or individually in the patient's
room. The services provided by our activities director offer socialization
and stimulation opportunities that are important for our patients' recovery
process.
Also included on our care team is a rehabilitation staff, which offers
physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy as needed,
at least daily for each patient.
Other information about the unit: We strive to maintain a high
level of functioning among our patients as they transition from rehabilitative
care to restorative care in preparation for discharge. The majority of
our patients are discharged home either independently or with home health
assistance.
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