%0 Journal Article
%T Nursing Home Resident Symptomatology Triggering Transfer: Avoiding Unnecessary Hospitalizations
%A Alyce S. Ashcraft
%A Jane Dimmitt Champion
%J Nursing Research and Practice
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/495103
%X The purpose of this study was to describe nursing home resident symptomatology and medical diagnoses associated with nursing home to hospital transfers. A retrospective chart review of documented transfers was conducted at a 120-bed, nonprofit urban Continuing Care Retirement Center nursing home facility located in the southwestern United States. The transferred residents ( ) had seventy different medical diagnoses prior to hospital transfer with hypertension, coronary artery disease, and congestive heart failure most frequently reported. Most frequently reported symptomatology included fatigue, lethargy or weakness, shortness of breath, and change in level of consciousness. Multiple symptomatology was indicative of a wide variety of medical diagnoses. The diagnoses and symptomatology recorded in this paper identify the importance of strategic planning concerning assessment and communication of common nursing home resident symptomatology and the importance of basic nursing and diagnostic procedures for prevention of potentially avoidable hospitalizations. 1. Introduction Potentially avoidable nursing home hospitalizations have become a focus for the United Stated Medicare and Medicaid System because of burgeoning costs totaling billions of dollars annually. One-third of nursing home residents are hospitalized each year. It is imperative to reduce avoidable hospital transfers to not only decrease cost to the health-care system but to also prevent the physical, psychological, and iatrogenic events that frequently manifest with hospital transfer [1]. Nursing home staff must be knowledgeable about the disease processes associated with advanced age, multiple comorbidities, and functional impairment to effectively and efficiently identify relevant symptomatology and communicate resident changes to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations [2]. Current nursing home staffing standards impact the process for reduction in unnecessary hospitalizations. Nursing home facilities are required to minimally provide licensed charge nurses (Licensed Vocational Nurses/LVN or Registered Nurses/RN) on each work shift [3]. The charge nurse managing the care of multiple patients is frequently an LVN, with activities of daily living provided by a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). An LVN has one year of education concerning basic nursing essentials and is responsible for providing safe nursing for individuals with predictable healthcare needs. The CNA has a minimum of 75 clock hours of training and is responsible for providing basic personal care to residents. The CNA reports resident
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/nrp/2012/495103/