Skilled nursing facilities provide essential care to elderly and disabled individuals who require ongoing medical attention and assistance with daily living activities. As such, it is critical for these facilities to continually assess the needs and satisfaction levels of residents and their families to improve the quality of care they provide. One effective tool for collecting this information is through visitor surveys.
Use Case: The Importance of Visitor Surveys in Skilled Nursing Facilities
Background:
A skilled nursing facility in a suburban area was struggling with a high turnover rate of residents and staff. The facility’s administration was concerned that they were not meeting the needs of residents and their families and that this was impacting the facility’s reputation in the community. To address these issues, the facility conducted a visitor survey to gather feedback from residents and their families on the quality of care and services provided.
Method:
The facility’s administration created a survey that included questions about the quality of care, staff responsiveness, communication, and cleanliness. The survey was distributed to visitors of the facility, including family members, friends, and other individuals who visited the facility on a regular basis. The survey was available in paper format, as well as online, to ensure maximum participation.
Results:
The survey results indicated that the majority of visitors were satisfied with the overall care and services provided by the facility. However, there were some areas for improvement identified, including staff communication and responsiveness. Specifically, visitors reported that they would like more frequent updates on their loved one’s health status and more timely responses to their inquiries.
The facility’s administration used the survey results to make changes to their policies and procedures, including increasing staff training on communication skills and implementing a new system for updating families on their loved ones’ health status. They also improved the facility’s cleanliness and increased staffing levels to improve overall satisfaction.
Impact:
As a result of these changes, the facility’s turnover rate decreased, and family satisfaction levels increased. Additionally, the facility received positive feedback from residents’ families, who appreciated the improvements in communication and responsiveness. The facility’s reputation also improved in the community, leading to increased referrals.
Conclusion:
Visitor surveys are a valuable tool for skilled nursing facilities to gather feedback from residents and their families to improve the quality of care and services. By utilizing this tool, skilled nursing facilities can identify areas for improvement, make necessary changes, and ultimately improve resident and family satisfaction levels.