NUR 120 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Terminal Illness, Dementia, Unlicensed Assistive Personnel
The Nursing Assistant in Long- Term Care
1: Compare long term care to other healthcare settings
● Long Term Care (LTC)- given in long term care facilities for persons who need 24
hour skilled care. Residents may be disabled, elderly, or young adults. They may
arrive from hospitals or other health care settings. Some may have terminal
illnesses, others may recover and return home or other care facilities. Those who
are residents at the facility are referred to as residents. Other names: skilled
nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, or extended care facilities.
● Skilled Care: medically necessary care given by a skilled nurse or therapist;
available 24 hours a day. Ordered by a doctor and involved a treatment plan.
Given to people who need a high level of care for ongoing conditions.
● Length of stay: number of days a person stays in a care facility. Length may differ
depending on resident.
● Terminal illness: illness will eventually overcome person and cause death
● Chronic: conditions last long periods of time or even lifetime
○ Include: physical disabilities, heart disease, dementia, etc.
● Diagnoses: medical conditions. The stages of illnesses or diseases affect how
sick people are and how much care they need. Nursing assistants jobs will differ
due to the fact that each person has different symptoms, abilities, and needs.
● Home health care: provided in a person’s home and includes many of the
services offered in other settings. Generally given to people who are older and
chronically ill but are able to and wish to remain in their home. May also be
needed when a person is weak after a recent hospital stay.
● Assisted Living: facilities are residences for people who need some help with
daily care such as showering, meals, and dressing. Also, help with medications
as well. Residents usually do not require 24 hour skilled care. These facilities
allow more independent living in a home- like environment. May be attached to a
long term care facility.
● Adult day services: for people who need some help and supervision during
certain hours but who do not live in the facility where care is provided. Usually for
people who are not seriously ill or disabled. Can also provide a break for
spouses, family members, and friends.
● Acute care: is 24/hour skilled care given in hospitals and ambulatory surgical
centers. People who require short term, immediate care for illnesses or injuries.
People are also admitted for short stays for surgerys.
● Subacute care: care given in hospital or in a long- term care facility. Used for
people who need less care than for an acute illness(sudden onset, short term
illness), but more care than chronic illness. Treatment: ends when the condition
has stabilized or after the set time for treatment has been completed. Cost is
usually less than a hospital but more than long term care.
● Outpatient care: usually given for less than 24 hours. For people who had
treatments or surgery and need short- term skilled care.
● Rehabilitation: care given by specialists. physical , occupational, and speech
therapists restore or improve function after an illness or injury.
● Hospice Care: given in facilities or homes for people who have about 6 months or
less to live. Hospice workers give physical and emotional care and comfort. They
support families.
2: Describe a typical long term care facility
● LTCS- are businesses that provide skilled nursing care 24 hours a day, typically
offering personal care for all residents and focused care for residents with special
needs. Personal care includes: bathing, skin/nail/hair care, and assistance with
walking, eating, dressing, transferring, and toileting. All these activities are
referred to as, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
○ Other services offered include: physical, occupational, and speech
therapy, wound care, care of different tubes such as catheters, nutrition
therapy and management of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's
disease, AIDS, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
cancer, and congestive heart failure(CHF).
○ When specialized care is offered, the employees must have special
training. Residents with similar needs may be placed in units together.
● Culture change: is a term given to the process of transforming services for elders
so that they are based on the values and practices of the person receiving care.
Involves respecting both elders and those working with them. Core values are
promoting choices, dignity, respect, self- determination, and purposeful living.
● Person- directed care: emphasizes the individuality of the person who needs
care, and seeks to build community by recognizing and developing each person’s
capabilities. Promoting dignity and providing caring environments is key.
3: Explain Medicare and Medicaid
● Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is a federal agency within the US
Department of Health and Human Services. CMS runs two national healthcare
programs which pay long- term care facilities a fixed amount for services. The
amount is based on the residents needs upon admission and throughout their
stay as well.
○ Medicare: federal health insurance program that was established in 1965
for people aged 65 years or older. It also covers people of any age with
permanent kidney failure or certain disabilities. Will only pay for care it
determines to be medically necessary. It has 4 parts.
Document Summary
1: compare long term care to other healthcare settings. Long term care (ltc)- given in long term care facilities for persons who need 24 hour skilled care. Residents may be disabled, elderly, or young adults. They may arrive from hospitals or other health care settings. Some may have terminal illnesses, others may recover and return home or other care facilities. Those who are residents at the facility are referred to as residents. Other names: skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, or extended care facilities. Skilled care: medically necessary care given by a skilled nurse or therapist; available 24 hours a day. Ordered by a doctor and involved a treatment plan. Given to people who need a high level of care for ongoing conditions. Length of stay: number of days a person stays in a care facility. Terminal illness: illness will eventually overcome person and cause death. Chronic: conditions last long periods of time or even lifetime.
