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Nurses in Nursing Homes

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Submitted By natalienachole
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Where Are Nurses In the Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities? Assisted living facilities, one of the fastest growing housing options for older adults, represents a potentially new employment option for RN’s. When most people think of nursing homes, they think about nurses being responsible for the patients. However, most nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the United States do not have any RN’s employed. Most assisted living facilities have LPN’s, medical technicians, and certified nursing assistants. Why are there no nurses in nursing homes/ assisted living facilities? “Slightly fewer than 1 million people age 65 or older live in an estimated 33,000 assisted living facilities, private or shared units.”(Kovner) All assisted living facilities provide congregated meals, laundry and housekeeping services, and some social activities; all assisted living facilities provide health monitoring and assistance with activities of daily living (ADL’s). “Approximately 60% of residents need assistance with one to three ADLs; 75% need assistance with medications.”(Kovner) “Current estimates suggest that 50% of residents in assisted living have Alzheimer’s or Dementia, and the number is expected to grow.”(Kovner) Many assisted living facilities have a special locked down unit for residents with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. On average a nursing assistant will have 14-30 residents to tend to. This means making sure everyone is checked on every hour, changed, and making sure the resident is okay. Nursing assistants are the most hands on with residents living in an assisted living facility. If anything happens to a resident most of the time, a nursing assistant will be the first to find out and she/he will report to the nurse or medical tech. Many people may be appalled that there is not an R.N. on duty around the clock in a nursing home. Robyn Grant, director of

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