READMISSIONS AND ACUITY IN THE NURSING HOME: How Will the Nursing Homes Manage?

Abstract
Decreased hospital length of stay and the shift of location of death from the hospital to the nursing home have increased the burden of care that must be provided by nursing home staff. Complex interaction of multiple disease states was the dominant factor in the readmission of nursing home residents to hospitals within 30 days of their previous discharge. Advanced nursing practice provided by gerontological nurse practitioners can monitor acute and chronic illnessess and decrease rates of hospitalization, as well as provide educational expertise to improve the nursing assessment and planning skills of the nursing home staff.