A Study On Nursing Home Transfers
A Study On Nursing Home Transfers SAMPLE Abstract
Transferring nursing home residents to various hospitals is an event that happens every day all over the country. The increasing number of older people has become a much important health concern that American society faces. Different studies throughout the years have presented the fact that transferring is quite complicated and often influenced by several different factors. The request of the resident, financial status and medical condition of the resident, including the status of the nursing home, beliefs and ethical issues of the physician as well as the other nursing staff, have all influenced the decision in transferring a resident to a hospital. Other studies have also found out that residents do not always get the most out of hospital interventions, as expected by the resident and family. This paper also reviewed various reasons for transfers by residents from privately owned long-term care facilities. Introduction The growing number of the older population creates many issues that need to be addressed by American society, not just now but also in the future. Making sure that every older individual receives the needed assistance in order to have a healthy and full life is a vital concern that Americans face. Due to so-called baby boomers becoming senior citizens, the older population rapidly increases, making these issues gain more and more significance. In the year 2011 alone, 21% of the USA population turned 65 (Healthcare Research and Quality Agency, 2012). Older people live in different setups – senior housing, single-family homes, with their family members, as well as in long-term care facilities. Older people who are not disabled and are still healthy live independently, while those who need assistance for their needs every day may permanently reside in either residential settings or in long-term care facilities. In these places, assistance is given by paid caregivers. Most often, nursing homes are preferred as they offer the best setting for older individuals who need physical assistance 24 hours a day for activities like bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, ambulation, as well as overall nursing care. 1 Background The older population has increased rapidly in the United States. That is so because baby boomers start reaching 65 years old. That is also partly due to the increased longevity among Americans, advances in the field of medicine as well as a decrease in birth rates. This growth in the senior population has resulted in the demands coming from family members as well as society as a whole, especially when it comes to ensuring the population’s health and well-being. While extended families take care of their older ones in the past generations, the modern generation prefers not doing so as often as expected. The goals involved in the long-term care setting present several challenges for administrators of nursing homes, as it includes striking a balance between preparing a safe environment and providing opportunities for the resident to select and control their own environment in order to show their own individuality (Kahlberg & Brad, 2003). Nursing home settings are highly controlled by state and federal agencies. Legislation has also influenced how these nursing homes deal with residents who fall ill. Regulations have also increased further the hours involved in nursing care. However, much of the increase in nursing time is usually spent on the needs of the regulation involving computerized assessments as well as the completion of reports and forms. These documents are related directly to the rates of reimbursement received by a facility and are also considered highly important. A literature search has presented studies during a period of 25 years. It has been discovered that hospital transfers coming from long-term care settings have happened for several years and have been considered from several different angles, with each of the aspects contributing significant information to the understanding of the situation at hand (Carmer, 2005). The literature has also explained that hospital transfers have happened as a result of different facets in a decision, mainly influenced by the physician, the resident, and the family. 2 References Carmer, H. (200%). Hospitalization rates variations among different nursing home residents: discretion and hospitalizations. Research Health Services 40(3), 123-125. Healthcare Research and Quality Agency (2012). Research on long-term care settings. Retrieved July 5, 2012 from www.hrqa.gov/research/longterm Kahlberg, H., Brad, A. (2003). Impact of nursing home type of ownership and payer source of residents. Medical Setup, 44(3), 1000-1004. 3