Wearing hairnets <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nMoreover, kitchen staff should wash their hands before preparing meals to prevent spreading infections through food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is also important that the facility gets its ingredients from a quality source. Following food safety regulations will not be effective if the meats and produce arrive infected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Medication Management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Many times, the spread of infection can be prevented by proper antibiotics. If a resident is prescribed antibiotics, it is important that they take them exactly as directed. Not following these instructions can render the use of antibiotics ineffective, thus spreading infections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Staff members can help ensure that residents are taking their antibiotics properly. Many nursing facilities offer skilled nurses that are trained in medication management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is important to remember that medication is infallible. For instance, in the case of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, medication is relatively ineffective against the evolved microbes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nursing homes must also practice antibiotic stewardship when it comes to prescribing antibiotics. Overprescribing antibiotics can lead to \u201csuperbugs\u201d and infections. Many nursing homes utilize \u201cMcgeers Criteria\u201d and make recommendations for providers when they identify patients with infections that may not meet the criteria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Medication is not the only medical way to prevent infection. Staying up to date on vaccinations and mandating that residents are vaccinated before entering the premises can help prevent infection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Covid 19 vaccination of staff members and residents have resulted in major decline in the number of Covid-19 infections. There has also been a major reduction in the number of influenza infections with the use of masks in the nursing home setting. Whether this continues into the future is to be determined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quarantine Procedures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Quarantining can be very effective in preventing the spread of infection. If an infected individual remains inside their room until they are no longer infected, then they can prevent putting other residents at risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being infected is not the only reason why someone may need to quarantine. If a resident begins to experience any of the following, quarantining may be wise: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Exhibits symptoms of infection <\/li>
- Was in close contact with an infected resident<\/li>
- Was in close contact with an infected family member <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Quarantining promotes general safety. However, not all nursing facilities are equipped for quarantine situations. Outdated facilities that have multiple beds in one room may not have the resources to promote quarantining. Congested buildings where residents are frequently in contact with one another also makes quarantine difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visitor Care<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Plenty of dangerous pathogens come from external sources. Visitors to nursing homes should take proper care not to spread any infections. While they may not suffer much from an infection, they could easily spread it to someone who will suffer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are some of the things visitors can do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Wash hands before entering and when leaving the facility<\/li>
- Wear a mask if visiting someone with any symptoms<\/li>
- Avoid visiting the facility if exhibiting symptoms of infection<\/li>
- Wear a gown and gloves if necessary<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
It is also important for caregivers to follow these steps. Nurses should never work closely with any infected patients if they are not wearing the proper gear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Telehealth involves delivering health-care through digital communication. Here are some of the services included by telehealth:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Medical care<\/li>
- Patient Education<\/li>
- Health information services<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Telehealth is a broad term that includes a number of health-care related facilities. For specific medical care, the term \u201ctelemedicine\u201d is usually used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Telemedicine is useful for more than just preventing outbreaks. Sometimes, residents may feel too unwell to get up and go to the doctor\u2019s office. On the flip side, if they develop mild symptoms they may decide that the trip is simply not worth it. Easy access to telemedicine ensures that these patients can still receive quality care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/cid\/article\/36\/7\/870\/318878<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/catalyst.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/CAT.18.0268<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/evisit.com\/state-telemedicine-policy\/connecticut\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/www.medicaleconomics.com\/view\/four-new-statistics-that-prove-that-telemedicine-isn-t-just-a-pandemic-fad<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nursing homes aim to provide quality care to older residents. Many nursing homes cannot keep out infections despite offering amenities such as skilled nurses and medication management. Residents frequently visit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2164,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,29],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2162"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2264,"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162\/revisions\/2264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postacutecarelife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}