Skilled Nursing Facility

What is a Skilled Nursing Facility?

A SNF provides rehabilitiative and medical services to individuals who require continued care, following hopsitalization.

What is the primary goal of the PT / PTA for residents in the SNF?

To help residents regain functional mobility in order to return home, or lower level of care.

What do we call people who reside at the SNF instead of patient? And why?

We call them residents, it shows respect for the person because the facility is serving as their home.

What are the common conditions seen in SNF’s?

Musculoskeletal injury – involves bone fractures after surgical repair, elective joint replacement, and trauma due to falls.

Neuromuscular injury – involes stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury.

Cardiopulmonary injury or illness – involves heart attack, cardiac bypass grafting, and COPD exacerbation.

General medical – involves Pneumonia, Urinary tract infections, and Cancer.

What are the PT/PTA roles and responsibilties in the SNF?

• Progressing the residents’ level of mobility

• Participate in interdisciplinary resident care meetings

• Assess readiness for discharge to home, or lower level of care.

• Providing the resident, family and staff on education and training of interventions and impairments.

Where are the treatment session conducted in a SNF?

• In the PT/OT Gym

• The residents room

• Hallways

What are the common interventions given in a SNF?

• Post-surgical programs; Total joint protocols, and weight bearing/mobility restrictions

• Therapeutic Activities; Education /training to show proper techniques for decreasing pain, maintaining precautions, and conserving energy

• Therapeutic Exercises; Generalized Strength, Endurance, and ROM exersizes

• Balance and Gait Training

What does an interdisciplinary environment mean?

Where multiple Healthcare providers work together on a patient case.

Who is on the medical team, when collaboratiting in the SNF?

• Physican & Medical Doctor

• NP & Physicians Assistants

• RN & CNA & Licensed Vocational Nurses

Who is on the rehabilitation team when collaboratiting in the SNF?

• PT & PTA

• OT & OTA

• SLP

Who is on the care coordination team when collaboratiting in the SNF?

• Case Manager

• Social Worker