Skilled Nursing Homes - What Are They?
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similar to a hospital. The homes are staffed with licensed nurses,
shared rooms, hospital beds, regular scheduled doctor rounds, meals
and housekeeping. Skilled nursing homes often provide a more pleasant
setting with optimal nurse to patient ratios and relaxed atmospheres.
Skilled nursing homes provide both long-term and short-term care
solutions for seniors. Unlike Assisted Living or Board and Care homes,
skilled nursing homes provide solutions for patients with complex
medical issues that require 24-hour supervision. These issues can
include mental issues such as dementia and physical issues such as
major infections, wound care, IV therapy, tube feeding and physical/
occupational therapy. Skilled nursing facilities are also a common
solution for seniors that are unable to care for themselves on daily
basis such as those suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
disease.
A skilled nursing home typically provides a team approach when
providing medical care to patients. A licensed individual, usually
called the "administrator", oversees the departments comprising the
skilled nursing home. A licensed Director of Nursing ["D.O.N."] is
then responsible for the administration of each department providing
care to residents. Each D.O.N. is directly involved in the medical
care of each patient. Their duties include overseeing nurses,
interacting with physicians and resolving any patient-related issues.
In essence, the D.O.N. is the person overseeing the day-to-day medical
care of the patient.
In addition to the Director of Nursing, a skilled nursing home will
customarily have other professionals on staff to assist patients. A
med nurse is always assigned for the sole purpose of administering
medications prescribed for the patients. Physical and occupational
therapists also work within the structure of care, coordinating
specifically ordered therapies and reporting progress to doctors. An
activities director is in charge of all social interaction and planned
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