High-risk Nursing Home Residents Research Articles

Characteristics of United States nursing homes with high percentages of stage 2-4 pressure injuries among high-risk nursing home residents with obesity.

Obesity rates in nursing homes (NHs) are increasing. Residents with obesity are at risk for poor outcomes such as pressure injuries (PIs) due to special care needs such as bariatric medical equipment and special protocols for skin care. PIs among resident populations is a sign of poor quality NH care. The purpose of this retrospective observational study was to identify characteristics of NHs with high rates of stage 2-4 PIs among their high-risk residents with obesity. Resident assessment data were aggregated to the NH level. NH structure and process of care and antecedent conditions of the residents and environment measures were used in bivariate comparisons and multivariate logistic regression models to identify associations with NHs having high rates of stage 2-4 PIs among high-risk residents with obesity. We identified three characteristics for which the effect on the odds was at least 10% for clinical significance - for-profit status, large facilities, and the hours of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) per patient day (HRPPD). This study identified several NH characteristics that are associated with higher risk for PIs, which can be targeted with evidence-based interventions to reduce the risk of these adverse safety events occurring.

A known unknown? Pharmacological prevention of venous thromboembolism in nursing home residents.

A known unknown? Pharmacological prevention of venous thromboembolism in nursing home residents.

Community Coronavirus Disease 2019 Activity Level and Nursing Home Staff Testing for Active Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in Indiana

ObjectivesTo assess whether using coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) community activity level can accurately inform strategies for routine testing of facility staff for active severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. DesignCross-sectional study. Setting and ParticipantsIn total, 59,930 nursing home staff tested for active SARS-CoV-2 infection in Indiana. MeasuresReceiver operator characteristic curves and the area under the curve to compare the sensitivity and specificity of identifying positive cases of staff within facilities based on community COVID-19 activity level including county positivity rate and county cases per 10,000. ResultsThe detection of any infected staff within a facility using county cases per 10,000 population or county positivity rate resulted in an area under the curve of 0.648 (95% confidence interval 0.601‒0.696) and 0.649 (95% confidence interval 0.601‒0.696), respectively. Of staff tested, 28.0% were certified nursing assistants, yet accounted for 36.9% of all staff testing positive. Similarly, licensed practical nurses were 1.4% of staff, but 4.7% of positive cases. Conclusions and ImplicationsWe failed to observe a meaningful threshold of community COVID-19 activity for the purpose of predicting nursing homes with any positive staff. Guidance issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in August 2020 sets the minimum frequency of routine testing for nursing home staff based on county positivity rates. Using the recommended 5% county positivity rate to require weekly testing may miss asymptomatic infections among nursing home staff. Further data on results of all-staff testing efforts, particularly with the implementation of new widespread strategies such as point-of-care testing, is needed to guide policy to protect high-risk nursing home residents and staff. If the goal is to identify all asymptomatic SARS-Cov-2 infected nursing home staff, comprehensive repeat testing may be needed regardless of community level activity.

Screening for atrial fibrillation in high-risk nursing home residents.

BackgroundVarious methods have been implemented for screening of patients for atrial fibrillation (AF), but the yield has generally been low. Targeting high-risk patients may improve detection of asymptomatic AF, which could be of value if appropriate treatment could be initiated before a potential thromboembolic event.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to test screening of high-risk nursing home residents having ≥2 risk factors for AF and no previous history of AF using a smartphone-based electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring device to determine whether it is an accurate, easy-to-use method of screening for asymptomatic AF.MethodsStudy participants had ≥2 risk factors, consisting of age ≥75 years, female sex, obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. Using the monitoring device, 30-second heart rhythm recordings were obtained on 4 different occasions. All tracings were reviewed by a cardiologist and, if uncertain, by an electrophysiologist. The nursing facility was notified of any diagnosis of AF, prompting further evaluation by the primary physician.ResultsOf the 245 residents screened, 18 (7.4%) had a diagnostic tracing for AF, 15 (83.3%) of whom had AF on the initial screen. There were no significant differences in demographics or individual risk factors between residents with and those without AF.ConclusionIntermittent ECG screening of high-risk nursing home residents using a simple, handheld device provided a diagnostic yield in our population comparable to that observed in past studies. Such screening of high-risk individuals can aid in the early diagnosis of AF and initiation of appropriate treatment.

Making infection prevention education interactive can enhance knowledge and improve outcomes: Results from the Targeted Infection Prevention (TIP) Study.

The purpose of this study was to assess effectiveness of an interactive educational program in increasing knowledge of key infection prevention and control (IPC) principles with emphasis on indwelling device care, hand hygiene, and multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) among nursing home (NH) health care personnel (HCP). We conducted a multimodal randomized controlled study involving HCP at 12 NHs. Ten comprehensive and interactive modules covered common IPC topics. We compared intervention and control scores to assess differences in pretest scores as a result of field interventions, pre- and post-test scores to assess knowledge gain, and magnitude of knowledge gain based on job categories. We conducted over 200 in-services across 10 topics at six intervention sites over 36 months. There were 4,962 tests returned over the course of the study, ranging from 389-633 per module. Participants were mostly female certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Score improvement was highest for modules emphasizing hand hygiene, urinary catheter care, and MDROs (15.6%, 15.9%, and 22.0%, respectively). After adjusting for cluster study design, knowledge scores were significantly higher after each educational module, suggesting the education delivery method was effective. When compared with CNAs, nursing and rehabilitation personnel scored significantly higher in their knowledge tests. Our intervention significantly improved IPC knowledge in HCP, especially for those involved in direct patient care. This increase in knowledge along with preemptive barrier precautions and active surveillance has enhanced resident safety by reducing MDROs and infections in high-risk NH residents.

Prevalence of and risk factors for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii colonization among high-risk nursing home residents.

To characterize the epidemiology of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii colonization in high-risk nursing home (NH) residents. Nested case-control study within a multicenter prospective intervention trial. Four NHs in Southeast Michigan. PARTICIPANTS Case patients and control subjects were NH residents with an indwelling device (urinary catheter and/or feeding tube) selected from the control arm of the Targeted Infection Prevention study. Cases were residents colonized with MDR (resistant to ≥3 classes of antibiotics) A. baumannii; controls were never colonized with MDR A. baumannii. For active surveillance cultures, specimens from the nares, oropharynx, groin, perianal area, wounds, and device insertion site(s) were collected upon study enrollment, day 14, and monthly thereafter. A. baumannii strains and their susceptibilities were identified using standard microbiologic methods. Of 168 NH residents, 25 (15%) were colonized with MDR A. baumannii. Compared with the 143 controls, cases were more functionally disabled (Physical Self-Maintenance Score >24; odds ratio, 5.1 [95% CI, 1.8-14.9]; P<.004), colonized with Proteus mirabilis (5.8 [1.9-17.9]; P<.003), and diabetic (3.4 [1.2-9.9]; P<.03). Most cases (22 [88%]) were colonized with multiple antibiotic-resistant organisms and 16 (64%) exhibited co-colonization with at least one other resistant gram-negative bacteria. Functional disability, P. mirabilis colonization, and diabetes mellitus are important risk factors for colonization with MDR A. baumannii in high-risk NH residents. A. baumannii exhibits widespread antibiotic resistance and a preference to colonize with other antibiotic-resistant organisms, meriting enhanced attention and improved infection control practices in these residents.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: site of acquisition and strain variation in high-risk nursing home residents with indwelling devices.

Characterize the clinical and molecular epidemiology of new methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) acquisitions at nasal and extranasal sites among high-risk nursing home (NH) residents. Multicenter prospective observational study. Six NHs in southeast Michigan. A total of 120 NH residents with an indwelling device (feeding tube and/or urinary catheter). Active surveillance cultures from the nares, oropharynx, groin, perianal area, wounds (if present), and device insertion site(s) were collected upon enrollment, at day 14, and monthly thereafter. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and polymerase chain reaction for SCCmec, agr, and Panton-Valentine leukocidin were performed. Of 120 participants observed for 16,290 device-days, 50 acquired MRSA (78% transiently, 22% persistently). New MRSA acquisitions were common in extranasal sites, particularly at device insertion, groin, and perianal areas (27%, 23%, and 17.6% of all acquisitions, respectively). Screening extranasal sites greatly increases the detection of MRSA colonization (100% of persistent carriers and 97.4% of transient carriers detected with nares, groin, perianal, and device site sampling vs 54.5% and 25.6%, respectively, for nares samples alone). Colonization at suprapubic urinary catheter sites generally persisted. Healthcare-associated MRSA (USA100 and USA100 variants) were the dominant strains (79.3% of all new acquisition isolates). Strain diversity was more common in transient carriers, including acquisition of USA500 and USA300 strains. Indwelling device insertion sites as well as the groin and perianal area are important sites of new MRSA acquisitions in NH residents and play a role in the persistency of MRSA carriage. Clonal types differ among persistent and transient colonizers.

Impact of infection preventionists on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid quality measures in Maryland nursing homes

BackgroundHealth care-associated infections are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in US nursing homes (NHs). The objective of the research is to assess the impact of Maryland NH infection preventionists (IPs) on NH quality measures.MethodsTwo hundred thirty-four NHs were queried through mailed survey. These survey data were then linked with 2008 quality data from Nursing Home Compare and the On-line Survey Certification of Automated Records.ResultsThree of the 8 quality measures examined—influenza vaccination for both short- and long-stay residents and pressure ulcer prevention in high-risk residents—were significantly associated with the number of IPs. None of the quality measures were shown to be significant with IPs who received specialized training on infection prevention and management compared with those who did not receive specialized training.ConclusionIPs play a critical role in preventing and managing health care-associated infections in nursing homes, especially in the areas of influenza vaccination and pressure ulcer prevention among high-risk nursing home residents. Quality measures that reflect the effects of IP training may not have been elucidated yet. Further research is needed to support the IP role in order for policy to advocate for increased IP funding.

Probiotics Linked to 60% Drop in Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea

Probiotics Linked to 60% Drop in Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea

Author Name Correction in: Association of Race and Sites of Care With Pressure Ulcers in High-Risk Nursing Home Residents

Author Name Correction in: Association of Race and Sites of Care With Pressure Ulcers in High-Risk Nursing Home Residents

Association of race and sites of care with pressure ulcers in high-risk nursing home residents.

A variety of nursing home quality improvement programs have been implemented during the last decade but their implications for racial disparities on quality are unknown. To determine the longitudinal trend of racial disparities in pressure ulcer prevalence among high-risk, long-term nursing home residents and to assess whether persistent disparities are related to where residents received care. Observational cohort study of pressure ulcer rates in 2.1 million white and 346,808 black residents of 12,473 certified nursing homes in the United States that used the nursing home resident assessment; Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting files; and Area Resource Files for 2003 through 2008. Nursing homes were categorized according to their proportions of black residents. Risk-adjusted racial disparities between and within sites of care and risk-adjusted odds of pressure ulcers in stages 2 through 4 for black and white residents receiving care in different nursing home facilities. Pressure ulcer rates decreased overall from 2003 through 2008 but black residents of nursing homes showed persistently higher pressure ulcer rates than white residents. In 2003, the pressure ulcer rate was 16.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.6%-17.0%) for black nursing home residents compared with 11.4% (95% CI, 11.3%-11.5%) for white residents; in 2008, the rate was 14.6% (95% CI, 14.4%-14.8%) compared with 9.6% (95% CI, 9.5%-9.7%), respectively (P >.05 for trend of disparities). In nursing homes with the highest percentages of black residents (≥35%), both black residents (unadjusted rate of 15.5% [95% CI, 15.2%-15.8%] in 2008; adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.59 [95% CI, 1.52-1.67]) and white residents (unadjusted rate of 12.1% [95% CI, 11.8%-12.4%]; AOR, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.26-1.40]) had higher rates of pressure ulcers than nursing homes serving primarily white residents (concentration of black residents <5%), in which white residents had an unadjusted rate of 8.8% (95% CI, 8.7%-8.9%). From 2003 through 2008, the prevalence of pressure ulcers among high-risk nursing home residents was higher among black residents than among white residents. This disparity was in part related to the site of nursing home care.

Commentary: The Physician's Role in Nursing Home Quality of Care: Focus on Restraints

ABSTRACT The physician can play an important role in managing high-risk nursing home residents without restraints and working with interdisciplinary care teams in comprehensive fall evaluations. A reduction or elimination of physical restraints can be measured for a facility over time, and it represents a relevant quality indicator of physician and facility interactions during the process of care. We discuss how the physician's role fits into this quality of care equation for nursing homes and its implications for new clinical, research, and policy directions for long-term care.

Prevalence and predictors of osteoporosis treatment in nursing home residents with known osteoporosis or recent fracture.

We studied nursing home residents with osteoporosis or recent fracture to determine the frequency and predictors of osteoporosis treatment. There was wide variation in performance, and both clinical and systems variables predicted use. This study shows that improvement in osteoporosis care is possible and important for many nursing homes. We determined the prevalence and predictors of osteoporosis evaluation and treatment in high-risk nursing home residents. We identified 67 nursing facilities in North Carolina and Arizona with > 10 residents with osteoporosis or recent hip fracture. Medical records (n=895) were abstracted for osteoporosis evaluation [dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), vitamin D level, serum calcium), treatment (calcium, vitamin D, osteoporosis medication, hip protectors), clinical, and systems covariates. Data were analyzed at the facility level using mixed models to account for the complex nesting of residents within providers and nursing facilities. Calcium and vitamin D was prescribed for 69% of residents, bisphosphonates for 19%, calcitonin for 14%, other pharmacologic therapies for 6%, and hip protectors for 2%. Overall, 36% received any bone protection (medication or hip protectors), with wide variation among facilities (0-85%). Factors significantly associated with any bone protection included female gender [odds ratio (OR) 2.4, (1.5-3.7)] and nonurban/suburban location [1.5, (1.1-2.2)]. Residents with esophagitis, peptic ulcer disease (PUD), or dysphagia [0.6, (0.4-0.9)] and alcohol abuse [0.2, (0.0-0.9)] were less likely to receive treatment. There is substantial variation in the quality of osteoporosis treatment across nursing homes. Interventions that improve osteoporosis quality of care are needed.