Healthcare is expensive, so it makes sense to always know what you are paying for. It’s possible that you might be paying for services that the concerned care providers are simply not qualified to provide. In fact, that is precisely why skilled nursing services are popular, but we will get to that later. For now, let’s get started with an introduction to skilled nursing.
Skilled Nursing Services: What Does It Mean?
Skilled nursing services refer to a broad range of specialized medical care services that only a trained and qualified nurse can provide. Such services may include but are not limited to:
- Insertion and management of catheters
- Postoperative care for colostomy
- Management of incontinence
- IV insertion and management
- Blood pressure, blood sugar, and diabetes management
- Administration of prescribed medication
- Blood transfusion and ambulance transfer management
- Therapeutic and rehabilitative services
- Personalized patientcare
- Hospice care
These are just a few examples of course, as having a skilled nurse to take care of a patient’s daily and emergency medical needs is a significant advantage for people who stand to benefit from the service.
Skilled Nursing Services Vs Skilled Nursing Facility: What’s the Difference?
Any nurse who is trained for the job can theoretically take on the duties mentioned above and much more. However, the effectiveness of their services can be severely limited by the medical equipment that’s available to them. This is the big reason why an assisted living facility or even a small nursing home will not necessarily qualify as a skilled nursing facility by default.
It is possible that a senior care facility may have all the medical equipment needed for a skilled nurse to do what they are supposed to, but it is best not to make such a big assumption. For example, this St. Louis skilled nursing facility is a verified assisted living community with all the necessary medical equipment present within the facility, but that’s not the norm everywhere. Always confirm whether a senior living community really does have the necessary medical equipment and the trained staff needed for them to deliver the skilled nursing services to the residents who need them.
Should You Look for Skilled Nursing Care?
Only the resident or their caretaker can answer that question with assistance from the patient’s physician. By now, you are already aware of what to expect from a well-equipped skilled nursing facility, so making an informed decision should be easier. If you and the physician in charge agree that the senior in question can benefit from the advanced medical care facilities available, then the answer is yes.
The decision is not even optional in some cases where the question there is not of benefit or convenience, but requirement. Someone who needs blood transfusions regularly must only live in a facility that’s equipped to handle such urgent needs. Rehabilitation and recuperation can also be accelerated to a great degree in a skilled nursing facility, especially if it concerns temporary admittance and aftercare.