Chapter 1: The Nursing Assistant in Long-Term Care

Chronic- Long-term or long lasting.

Acute care- 24-hour skilled care given in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers for people who require short-term immediate care. 

Subacute care- given in hospitals or LTCs for people who need less care than acute, but more care than chronic. 

ADLS- activities of daily life. 

Medicare- federal health insurance for people who are 65 years or older, have certain disabilities/ permanent kidney failure, or are ill and can't work. 

• Part A- helps pay for care in a hospital, skilled nursing facility, care from a HHA. 

• Part B-helps to pay for doctor services, other medical services, and equipment. 

• Part C- allows private health insurance to provide medicare benefits. 

• Part D- helps pay for medication. 

Medicaid- medical assistance program for people who have low income/ people with disabilities. 

• People have to qualify based on income and certain circumstances. 

Chain of command:

• Administrator

• Medical Director (MD)

• Director of Nursing (DON)

• Staff development coordinator

• Minimum data set (MDS) coordinator

• Nursing supervisor

• Charge nurse

• Staff nurse (LPN, RN, LVN)

Policy- course of action that should be taken every time a situation occurs. 

Procedure- a method or way of doing something. 

Compassionate- caring, considerate, empathetic, and understanding. 

Empathy- identifying with the feelings of others.

Sympathy- sharing in the feelings and difficulties of others. 

Tactful- showing sensitivity and having a sense of what is appropriate when dealing with others. 

Conscientious- guided by a sense of right and wrong.  

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA)- law passed by the federal government that includes the minimum standards for NA training, staffing requirements, resident assessment instructions, and info on rights for residents. 

Cite- a survey. 

Ombudsman- legal advocate for residents in LTC facilities who help resolve disputes and settle conflicts. 

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)- fed. law that requires health information to be kept private. 

Protected Health Information (PHI)