Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
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Aspiration pneumonia is a significant cause of morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality in the nursing home population. Patients who aspirate have three times higher mortality than patients who do not aspirate. We discuss the factors known to increase the risk of aspiration and its consequences, and recognize some of the preventive measures for aspiration pneumonia. We suggest approaches to decrease the risk of this very prevalent syndrome.
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The objective of this study was to describe the nursing documentation of telephone communication with physicians in community nursing homes. ⋯ In this study, documentation of issues that lead to telephone calls to physicians was not always present. Similarly, orders given by the physician were absent over 20% of the time. Nurses, physicians, and facilities should develop efficient and routine strategies to optimize rates of documentation of telephone communication with physicians.
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Editorial Comment
End-of-life care in nursing homes: is the glass half empty or half full?