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In my last blog post, I mentioned my belief that the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to positive and long-lasting changes in nursing homes. A reader asked if I could elaborate on these changes, so today I’m sharing a few of my predictions.
Virtual visits
Can you imagine the day when we’re finally able to open our doors to residents’ families? We’ll see lots of hugs, tears of joy, and people catching up on months of family news.
Until that day arrives, online visits are proving to be an enormous blessing. And I suspect these technologies will remain popular even after the pandemic ends.
Imagine a family member who lives far away. Or consider someone who can’t visit because of illness, lack of transportation, or nasty weather. In these and other circumstances, I believe online visits will remain a welcome option long after COVID-19 goes away.
Telemedicine
When I worked as an RN at the nursing home nurse, telemedicine was in its early stages. I heard about its use in some rural areas of our state, but I never saw it in action. Now, the pandemic is quickly making telemedicine commonplace in many nursing homes.
Even though some medical providers made rounds at our nursing home, we often had situations where residents needed to go out to the clinic to see a physician. Many residents found this difficult because of impaired mobility, illness, or cognitive losses. Telemedicine offers a much more convenient and comfortable alternative for these individuals.
When a resident developed a problem between rounds, we had to contact a medical provider’s office by phone or by fax, then wait for a reply. Telemedicine often provides a much faster response, and it’s easier for the physician to evaluate the resident when they can hear and see the person online. That’s why I believe the use of telemedicine will continue to expand for years to come.
Infection control
We’ve all developed new habits because of COVID-19. We wash our hands more often and more thoroughly than ever before. We’re more careful about keeping our surroundings clean, too.
I’m hoping these habits become so ingrained in our daily lives that they continue long after the pandemic ends. Not only will this protect us and our residents from COVID-19, but we’ll also help protect everyone from other infections like influenza, norovirus, and multi-drug-resistant organisms.
Flexibility
Because of the pandemic, many nursing homes face staffing challenges like never before. Some employees miss work after becoming ill. Others need to self-quarantine at home due to exposure to someone with COVID-19. Sadly, some employees quit out of fear of catching the virus at the nursing home.
As a result, staff in many departments have become jack-of-all-trades. I’ve heard of a social worker doing laundry, physical therapists cleaning resident rooms, and office staff helping serve breakfast.
I’m hoping this opportunity to step into other people’s shoes will help get rid of the “That’s not my job” attitude we sometimes see in long-term care. Maybe we’ll be quicker to cross departmental lines for the good of our residents.
Now it’s your turn. What positive changes do you see in nursing homes because of the pandemic?
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