Nursing Home Admission Checklist

What is a Nursing Home Admission Checklist?

A Nursing Home Admissions Checklist is a comprehensive tool used by individuals, families, healthcare professionals, and social workers to ensure a smooth and well-informed transition when admitting a loved one or a patient to a nursing home facility.

Nursing Home Admission Checklists consider many crucial aspects, including medical, social, financial (if they can afford the nursing home costs), and emotional considerations (if the nursing facilities provide good human services and treat residents with utmost and quality care) concerning the client or the client's family member who will be admitted. This can help answer questions like:

• Can the client afford the nursing home costs?
• Does the home have skilled nursing facilities?
• Does the home have a sanitary dining room for residents?
• Does the home provide the utmost quality human services?
• Does the home's staff treat residents with care and make them feel safe?
• Does the home have adequate medical supplies?
• Does the home conduct regular medical appointments with residents?
• Does the home have specific services like physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc?

This list allows both you and your clients to ensure no critical details about nursing homes are overlooked. It can help smoothen the nursing home placement process and encourage discussions about a resident's care plan, what they need, etc. This ensures everybody is on the same page regarding the client's needs throughout their stay in the home.

How does it work?

The admissions process for a nursing home can be lengthy and requires thorough detail to ensure all aspects of care are discussed and can be met by both the facility and the individual. Below are the steps involved to create a viable Nursing Home Admissions Checklist:

Step 1: Gather your resources

Admissions checklists for nursing homes are a valuable resource and essential to keep on hand. Make sure that you have a copy of the free printable PDF when the need arises by either clicking the “Download Template” or “Use Template” button or by searching “Nursing home Admissions Checklist” on Carepatron's template library's search bar on the website or app.

Step 2: Gather information

Begin by collecting information about the resident/patient. This includes their medical history, current medications, care needs, preferences, and any legal or financial documents relevant to their care.

Step 3: Identify critical categories

Outline the different categories or sections that need consideration in the checklist. This includes medical information, personal care needs, legal and financial aspects, facility amenities, and resident preferences.

Step 4: Consult resources

Utilize resources such as nursing home admission guidelines, healthcare facility checklists, and regulatory requirements to ensure the checklist encompasses all essential areas.

Step 5: Medical assessment

Include items related to the resident's medical needs. This involves details about medical conditions, allergies, required medications, and any treatments or therapies the resident requires.

Step 6: Personal care needs

Document the resident's daily living requirements, such as bathing, dressing, mobility assistance, dietary needs, and specific care instructions.

Step 7: Legal and financial documentation

Include a section for legal-related concerns, insurance coverage verification, financial considerations, and advance directives, ensuring all necessary legal documents are in place.

Step 8: Facility assessment

Now, you can start evaluating each nursing home facility against your checklist. Consider factors like staff-to-resident ratio, available services (rehabilitation, social activities), safety measures, cleanliness, and overall quality of care.

Step 9: Resident preferences

Consider questions or items about the resident's preferences regarding activities, meal choices, social interactions, religious considerations, and any specific requests they might have.

Step 10: Review and revision

After creating a draft, review the checklist to ensure it covers all necessary aspects. Seek input from healthcare professionals, family members, and the nursing home staff to refine and enhance the checklist.

Step 11: Finalize and distribute

Once the checklist is comprehensive and inclusive, finalize the document. Share copies with involved parties, including family members, healthcare providers, and the nursing home staff, to ensure everyone is informed and prepared.

When would you use this template?

Nursing home admission checklists are used at various stages of the admissions process:

Pre-admission planning

Families and healthcare professionals use these checklists when considering different nursing home options during the initial planning phase. They help evaluate facilities, assess their services, and compare them based on the resident's specific needs.

Admission procedures

When the decision is made to admit a loved one or patient to a nursing home, the checklist guides the gathering of essential documents, medical information, legal paperwork, and personal preferences needed for admission.

Facility tours and evaluations

During visits to potential nursing homes, the checklist is a reference tool to assess the facility's amenities, staff-to-resident ratio, safety measures, and overall suitability for the resident's needs.

Communication and coordination

Healthcare professionals, families, and nursing home staff use the checklist to communicate effectively. It ensures that everyone involved is aware of the resident's medical history, care needs, preferences, and any specific requirements.

Ongoing care pllanning

Even after admission, the checklist remains valuable for ongoing care planning. It serves as a reference to ensure the resident's evolving needs, preferences, and care plans are continuously reviewed and updated.

Regulatory compliance

Nursing homes may use standardized admission checklists to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and to maintain documentation of the admission process for legal and regulatory purposes.

Benefits of using this checklist

Using our Nursing Home Admission Checklist template makes it easy for you to evaluate the best facility for your clients:

Allows for thorough evaluations of nursing homes

This checklist covers many areas that professionals and clients should consider when picking a nursing home for the client or the client's family member(s). This allows all parties to narrow down the best possible home for the person who will be admitted, and it can bring peace of mind to everyone knowing that they will get the best care possible, all things considered (health and financial considerations).

Lets you document the specific needs of the person being admitted

This checklist isn't just for the professional aiding the client with finding a nursing home. It has sections discussing a person's specific care requirements, medical history, dietary needs, current health status, mobility assistance, and other important considerations. This will aid the nursing home staff developed personalized care plans that can address a resident's unique needs.