What is Skilled Nursing Care?

When you start your research on long-term care, you’ll hear the term “skilled nursing care.” A patient who needs medical treatment or personal care that only a licensed nurse can provide is considered to require skilled nursing care.

This type of care can be provided by a home health agency, an assisted living community that has a nurse on staff, or a skilled nursing facility offering 24/7 nursing care. The best nursing colleges in Illinois help students to learn about different aspects of professional nursing care.

When Do You Need Skilled Nursing Care?

Skilled nursing care includes a range of services that are provided by professionals who have been trained to administer customized care in the event of injury or illness.

• Complex wound dressings and post-operative wound care.
• Monitoring and dispensing intravenous medication.
• Intramuscular injections
• Catheter, incontinence, and colostomy care.
• Tube feedings.
• Diabetic management.
• ADLs (Activities of daily living) assistance.
• Blood transfusions.
• Monitoring vital signs and medical devices.
• Rapidly changing health status.
• After hip replacement, physical therapy can help with balance and strength issues.
• After a stroke, speech therapy can help improve communication.
• Occupational therapy is used to help patients regain their independence by helping them to dress, groom themselves, and feed themselves.
• Services in radiology, pharmacy, and laboratory.

Options For Skilled Nursing Care

Skilled Nursing Facility

A skilled nursing facility is often where you can find nursing care. A skilled nursing facility is the best option for basic services and advanced levels of care outside of a hospital. If your parents or loved ones have a medical condition that requires 24/7 care by a registered nurse, a skilled nursing facility may be the best option.

This short-term care option is usually available to patients who are receiving acute medical treatment or rehabilitation from nurses, as well as other medical professionals such as audiologists, physical and occupational therapists, and speech pathologists.

Read More:- The Importance of Patient-Centered Care in LPN Training Illinois

After a hospitalization, if your loved one needs round-the-clock monitoring and skilled nursing aftercare, then a skilled nursing facility may be the best option. Inpatient services may be ordered by a doctor if your loved one has a serious medical condition that requires constant monitoring and treatment.

After strokes or heart attacks, many people require skilled nursing care to receive rehabilitative treatment. This provides a safety net with constant supervision. Some medical conditions are not legally addressed by assisted living and require skilled nursing care. These are medical facilities, and only approved furniture is allowed. Around a quarter only stay a few weeks while they recover. Patients can choose to share semi-private rooms or opt for private rooms. It is described as a more hospital-like environment than a homely one.

Home Health Services

You can schedule a medical professional to visit your loved one at home if they need part-time services or intermittent care. Home health care services are only as successful as the living environment. Rest and care are important for recovery. If the patient is living alone, they may feel isolated. The patient may not have the ability to perform daily activities or necessary tasks to recover, such as cooking or medication management.

The patient must be self-motivated to complete the rehabilitation exercises. Home health services are not the best option if you believe your loved ones are too weak or unstable for proper care and no family members are available to help. Home health services relieve the care burden of a family caregiver caring for a loved one at home who needs extra help.

Assisted Living

Assisted living communities offer 24-hour care plans and therapy, as well as nursing care staff. The basic needs of everyday healthy living, such as dressing, cooking, and bathing, can help reduce stress on both the resident and their family. Many communities offer transportation and appointments with doctors and therapists. The socialization, peer support, and activities provided by assisted living communities promote healing and comfort in mind.

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Many families don’t know that many assisted living communities provide short-term respite stays for patients who are released from the hospital to recover. Many patients make difficult decisions to remain in the community permanently after they have enjoyed their stay and medical services. If you have a parent or a loved one with a medical condition that requires round-the-clock care, assisted living may be the best option after your loved one has recovered in a skilled facility. If you wish to be an LPN you should search for the best nursing schools in Illinois to gather information, cultivate skills and serve humanity with compassionate care.