Contemporary Issues in Healthcare

You are a new graduate with your master’s degree. You have no previous work experience in the field; however, you recently obtained your nursing home license and are excited to start your career!

You have sent your resume to employers, recruiters, and healthcare associations. Anytime a networking opportunity presents itself, you are there and ready to mingle.

Despite your efforts, you have not received an offer for a position that interests you. Some positions were well below your skill level, but you applied anyway, hoping that an offer to any position would make you feel better. Coincidentally, after being offered a minimum wage position as a scheduler, you realized that this not the case. You revert back to applying only to positions that interest you.

After what seems like forever, you finally receive a call. A nursing home in an adjacent town is hiring for a nursing home administrator. The privately-owned dual-certified facility is small with only 65 beds serving both short-term and long-term care residents.

During the interview, you are informed that the position became available after the previous administrator left hurriedly to “pursue other opportunities”. You are reassured however, Sandy, director of nursing, has been there 24 years and is a great resource and wealth of information. The organization seems to be interested in an entry-level administrator that they can help grow with their organization. It truly feels like the perfect fit.

When given the chance to ask questions, you inquire about the community, the leadership style of the management team, and of course, the salary. You leave the interview feeling pretty good.

The next day, you receive a call directly from the owner of the nursing home extending you an offer. Excited, you accept without hesitation and agree to meet HR immediately to process orientation paperwork.

Once orientation concluded, you were welcomed to the facility, given a tour of each unit, and brought to your office to settle it.

Over the course of the next few hours, you read through files, policies, and documents. You learn that the most recent survey was a few months ago resulting in the issuance of 16 F-tag deficiencies, including an Immediate Jeopardy (IJ) citation for resident neglect. You review the Plan of Correction which seems thorough; however, you notice inconclusive dates of completion. You decide to take a break from the paperwork and get lunch. When you return, you receive the following voicemail:

SCRIPT

“Hi. This is Amanda from nursing. Um. Some of us just tried to cash our check and the bank said that there is insufficient funds in the account. We are down in the nursing office if you would please come. Thank you.”

The employees look to you for direction.

In the discussion, address the following:

• 1) What would you do in this situation?
• 2) Looking back, what are some areas that were overlooked? What would you do differently?
• 3) What legal obligation do you have as the administrator?
• 4) How can you take this week’s discussion topic and apply it in the real world?