Nursing News

Happy Fall to everyone from Nursing!

We are in the beginning of “Flu season”, the weather is changing, and the holidays are approaching! This is a busy time of year for the facility. I want to encourage friends and family to visit often; residents love this time to see familiar faces and reminisce. Please remember to wash your hands well before and after visiting. Infections spread quickly and can be life threatening in the elderly population. Flu shots are still being given but are not effective in preventing illness completely and many other viruses and bacterial infections can be just as harmful as influenza. If you are ill or were exposed to illness, other ways to let your loved ones know you care and are thinking about them are letters, cards, phone calls, and text messages or email for those that have access. We are happy to relay any messages to the residents also!

The holidays are a time we give and receive gifts and enjoy a few extra treats! Please remember to check with the nursing or dietary staff if you are bringing food in to make sure it is appropriate for the resident’s diet. Also, if any food is intended to share with staff, it must be in a break area and not resident rooms. Please let Laurissa or myself know if you would like to treat the staff and we will ensure they get it. Any gifts of clothing or personal hygiene items for residents should be individually labeled. We can provide permanent markers to do this – just ask.

Lastly, medications are a necessity for many health conditions. However, most have some side effects or can interfere with other medications. We review medication lists frequently. Anytime we can safely reduce the number of pills for a resident, we will discuss with family, residents, and medical providers. If you want a medication review by our nursing staff and pharmacy, please let us know.

Kelly Fleming, RN, DON