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Information on long term care facilities available Anyone interested in the staffing regulations in the longterm care facilities (LTC's) that their friends or loved ones reside in can obtain the information in a variety of locations. Each LTC is required to post a staffing schedule for all to see in a prominent location, usually near a nurse's station. The schedule displays the number of staff on duty at a particular time of day. Internet access provides information on both federal and state regulations that must be followed by facilities to be in compliance with standards of care. The National Citizen's Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (NCCNHR) provides a link to minimum staffing standards for nursing facilities at www.nccnhr. org. The Alabama Department of Public Health's website, www.adph.org., is another source of information about staffing and nursing services listed under Nursing Facilities on their website. Information at this site explains that a facility must provide sufficient nursing staff to assure that residents will attain and maintain their highest practicable physical and psychosocial well-being as determined by individual plans of care and resident assessment. There must be sufficient, licensed nurses and other nursing professionals on a 24-hour basis to provide nursing care to all residents according to each individuals care plan. The services of a registered nurse must be available for at least eight consecutive hours a day, seven days a week. The facility must designate a registered nurse as Director of Nursing (DON) on a full-time basis. When visiting a long-term care facility, keep in mind that all staff members have become family to the residents. They provide care that family and friends are no longer able to give on an hourly schedule. Nursing assistants and other staff need the support of family, friends and visitors as well as do the residents. They would appreciate a thank you for a job well done.
If you need information about choosing a facility, or have questions regarding any other aspect of long-term care, call the Alabama Tombigbee Area Agency on Aging at 1-888-617-0500 and ask to speak to an Ombudsman. Community education programs can be arranged for groups that would like more information about the services provided through the AAA as well as the rights of residents in long-term care facilities.
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