What Are the Dangers of Skilled Nursing Facilities?

Skilled Nursing Facilities Are Highly Regulated

Skilled Nursing Facilities accept residents who have Medicare and Medicaid and so follow regulations set by the federal government along with individual state guidelines. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) make sure that Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) are complying with all rules and regulations at the federal level. It’s very easy for SNFs to fall behind with their resident care if not properly regulated. That leads to dangerous situations for the residents.

The Number of Admissions in SNFs Have Doubled Over the Past Decade

One of the most common dangers of a SNF is an insufficient number of staff to meet resident demand. There are times when a hospital will release a patient into the care of a SNF to continue their recovery. When this happens at an accelerated rate, SNFs easily become overwhelmed. CMS has a regulation in place that requires all SNFs to have a sufficient nursing staff, but unless CMS is keeping on top of their checks then it’s easy for the facilities to slip through the cracks.

The Staff-to-Resident Power Dynamic is Unequal and Must be Carefully Managed

Unfortunately, it’s common to hear the horror stories of abuse and assault in SNFs. Residents expect quality care. However, some staff may find it easy to take advantage of the residents’ dependency. CMS pledges to put patients first and so must ensure that the SNF staffs have adequate vetting and training to ensure proper care of the residents.

SNFs Should Maintain Transparency

If a facility makes a procedural mistake, that can lead to a lot of trouble for both residents and staff. Sometimes it may seem easier for facilities to approve a course of treatment without giving all options proper consideration. In case of a mistake, facilities should have thorough and comprehensive records of all conversations had regarding the patient. While CMS regulations state that all records should be complete and accessible, if anything is omitted from a resident’s chart, it can cause problems down the line.

MyFieldAudits Can Help CMS Stay on Top of Their Regulatory Comments

Our standard health inspection forms, audits, and checklists will keep you organized. With the ability to share the forms with the facilities you oversee, and maintain real-time access, you can make sure that all facilities are keeping to the outlined standards. To learn more about MyFieldAudits contact us today at info@MyFieldAudits.com.