Being a nursing home administrator Essay

Being a nursing home administrator with in a nursing home, excellent communication is a necessity. Communication is how care providers determine the quality of care that is given and needed for the patients. By being a nursing home administrator, it is my job to make sure that the HIPPA rules and regulations are being used by all employees. By making sure that HIPPA rules and regulations are being upheld, the nursing home is providing quality care to the patients. When a change happens at a nursing home there can be confusion and conflict with everyone involved. While following the chain of command can be long and even boring, it is needed to keep the communication process smooth and effective. The chain of command does help reduce the risk of a communication breakdown. If a communication breakdown is developed it can cause commotion in any health care facility which could jeopardize everyone involved. With being the nursing home administrator, the first job that I would need to do i s have a full understanding of the new policies and procedures. I would need to know how the policies and procedures were put into place and how exactly this will affect the patient’s in the nursing home. In order to do this I would want to speak with the board members so my concerns could be addressed. In order to address these issues I could meet with the board members face to face, use social media, or by electronic communication. There are advantages to having traditional face to face meetings. The members are able to see my body language, facial expressions, and hear the tone of my voice while communicating my concerns. With the traditional meetings, it will also allow the board members to respond to my concerns right away with a limited amount of interruptions. While there are some advantages to having traditional meetings there are also some disadvantages. One issue could be misinterpretation on some of the available cues. Traditional meetings can be expensive and time consuming this is a disadvantage when the time and/or finances a re not available. Having a conference by electronic method is another way to communicate. The biggest advantage to electronic conferencing is the fact that it can be done on a global basis, no matter where a person is everyone can join together. Electronic conferences are best when all members attend at the same time but because it’s electronic the members can attend conferences at different times but during a certain time frame. With all members attending an electronic conference at the same time is known as  the synchronous method. When members attend conference at different times but within a certain time frame is known as the asynchronous method. The synchronous method allows real time communication and the asynchronous method does communication through emails. The synchronous method is best because it is real time and more effective. Electronic conferences are also less expensive and not as time consuming. Electronic conferences can also be recorded so they are available for future use. While emails and phone calls are good forms of communication it is not t he best for a conference. Communicating through computers and the internet has become a popular way for health care members. When it is done properly this way of communication can provide clear straight information that is understood by everyone. If it is not used properly, there can be a breakdown in communication and cause many problems. When social media is used properly it can provide many advantages and opportunities. Social media can reach a large amount of people, which means a wide connection within the community. Social media also allows a great way to support collaboration, better communication, and will also people around the globe to share and generate information. Facilities can also have an identity beyond the name and standard of care through social media. It also helps health care facilities reach out to the people of the community. A disadvantage of social media has been looked blindly upon by most members of the health care industry. When it comes to a patient’s privacy, HIPPA rules and regulations require proper procedures to be followed anytime a patient’s information is released. By being the nursing home administrator my job is to make sure that all of the patients who will be discharged have signed a consent form. The consent form would give our facility permission to release the patient’s health care information to other facilities with the hope of finding placement for that patient. HIPPA has very strict rules and guidelines to follow; the patient’s privacy must always be the priority and always be protected. It is the staff member’s responsibility to protect a patient’s information regardless on how the information is being transferred. The staff member can only allow the information to reach who it is meant for and only provide enough information to make proper accommodations for the patient. HIPPA has placed policies and procedures to protect patient’s information, when these rules are not strictly followed a privacy breach can occur. Also, when the HIPPA rules are  not followed patient’s information can get misplaced which will result in a patient not receiving proper quality care. It is a health care staff member’s job to make sure that every patient remains protected at all times. Today’s health care industry has many rules and regulations that have to be followed in order to protect the privacy of the patients. It is a facility’s responsibility to follow these rules and regulations to ensure a patient’s health and well-being. It is a high priority for immediate action to take place if the rules and regulations are not being followed to make sure that the patients are not at any risk. References: Sarringhuas, M. M. (Jul/Aug 2011). THE Great Divide: Social Media’s Role in Bridging Healthcare. Journal of Helathcare Management, 56(4), 235-244. Du Pre, A. (2005). Communication about health: Current Issues and perspectives (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.