Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, the risk of developing sepsis has increased nationwide, according to the September 2024 report An Assessment of Sepsis in the United States and Its Burden on Hospital Care (Sepsis Assessment) from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Sepsis-related inpatient stays in …
Emergency preparedness is a vital component of maintaining safety and ensuring continuity of care in post-acute care settings. Facilities face unique challenges in emergency situations. The vulnerable people they care for, including the elderly and those recovering from surgery or a serious illness, are especially susceptible to adverse outcomes. The …
Long-term care facilities face unique problems when disasters strike. Staff’s quick thinking and correct action can protect staff members, residents, and families. Use this in-service education to prepare staff for when a disaster occurs. This AAPACN resource is copyright protected. AAPACN individual members may download or print one copy for …
By Greg Seiple Discharge planning is an essential component of patient care in skilled nursing facilities. But how do healthcare professionals determine when a resident is ready to leave and manage daily activities independently? Enter the Discharge Function Score—a critical tool in evaluating a resident’s ability to function outside of …
Sepsis—a key driver of hospital readmissions—can have negative clinical impacts for residents and negative financial, quality, survey, and even legal impacts for nursing homes. Here is a review of important basics: What is sepsis? The current clinical definition of sepsis is “life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response …
When a substance overdose situation occurs, staff must know how to respond. Nurse leadership should provide staff opportunities to practice and perfect their response to these events. The Mock Substance Overdose Toolkit will assist nurse managers in setting up the mock drill, evaluating staff compliance with procedural steps, and facilitating …
Antimicrobial medications are used to treat infections (and sepsis) caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi. Antimicrobial resistance (AR)—when germs conquer the drugs that are supposed to kill them and instead keep growing—occurs naturally. However, exposure to antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs builds resistance mechanisms in germs, speeding up the …
Many residents take opioids to relieve pain, and each of these residents is at risk for overmedication, overdose, or even death. According to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), by 2021, 1 in 370 senior deaths stemmed from overdoses. Seventy-five percent of senior overdose deaths involved opioids, and this …
The newly revised Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes Management in the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC) Setting provides (1) new information on overall goals in diabetes care, (2) detailed information on how to use and manage medication alternatives , and (3) information on the roles of interdisciplinary team members in …
Fall is here, and respiratory virus season is around the corner. Nursing leaders must take proactive steps to protect residents from these viruses, which carry the potential for serious illness and can lead to hospitalization. This article will spotlight areas to focus on for respiratory virus prevention and control, as …
