Skilled Nursing Facility Comparison Checklist

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Three weeks ago, I wrote a blog on what to look for if you are interviewing and comparing skilled nursing facilities for a loved one who needs care.

Feel free to use and reproduce this basic checklist; however, please credit the source if you share it.

Skilled Nursing Facility Comparison Checklist Copyright © 2011. Thresa M. Kussman, MOT, OTR http://travelingotr.blogspot.com
Criteria	Name of Facility	Name of Facility	Name of Facility
Five Star Rating	1 (poor) – 5 (excellent)	1 (poor) – 5 (excellent)	1 (poor) – 5 (excellent)
Compare facilities here: www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Include/DataSection/Questions/ProximitySearch.asp
Deficiencies	□ Staffing □ Hydration □ Weight Loss □ Skin Integrity □ Range of Motion □ Privacy □ Infection Control □ Dietary □ Falls with Injury □ Other	□ Staffing □ Hydration □ Weight Loss □ Skin Integrity □ Range of Motion □ Privacy □ Infection Control □ Dietary □ Falls with Injury □ Other	□ Staffing □ Hydration □ Weight Loss □ Skin Integrity □ Range of Motion □ Privacy □ Infection Control □ Dietary □ Falls with Injury □ Other
First Impressions
Initial call	□ Professional □ Friendly □ Rude □ Other	□ Professional □ Friendly □ Rude □ Other	□ Professional □ Friendly □ Rude □ Other
Was I put on hold?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
How long?	□ Under 1 min □ 2-4 minutes □ 5 minutes+	□ Under 1 min □ 2-4 minutes □ 5 minutes+	□ Under 1 min □ 2-4 minutes □ 5 minutes+
Outside of building	□ Clean □ Welcoming □ Contemporary □ Aged □ Dirty □ Unkempt	□ Clean □ Welcoming □ Contemporary □ Aged □ Dirty □ Unkempt	□ Clean □ Welcoming □ Contemporary □ Aged □ Dirty □ Unkempt
Inside of building	□ Calm □ Friendly □ Chaotic □ Stressful □ Odor □ Other	□ Calm □ Friendly □ Chaotic □ Stressful □ Odor □ Other	□ Calm □ Friendly □ Chaotic □ Stressful □ Odor □ Other
Lobby	□ Clean □ Welcoming □ Contemporary □ Aged □ Dirty □ Unkempt	□ Clean □ Welcoming □ Contemporary □ Aged □ Dirty □ Unkempt	□ Clean □ Welcoming □ Contemporary □ Aged □ Dirty □ Unkempt
What did I hear?	□ Music □ Laughter □ Silence □ Buzzers □ Alarms □ Residents □ Overhead pages □ Other	□ Music □ Laughter □ Silence □ Buzzers □ Alarms □ Residents □ Overhead pages □ Other	□ Music □ Laughter □ Silence □ Buzzers □ Alarms □ Residents □ Overhead pages □ Other
Nurses’ Station
Buzzers going off?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Do staff acknowledge me?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Are charts protected from view?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Is it a quiet environment for my loved one?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Residents
Hair combed?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Faces clean? Teeth brushed?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Fingernails trimmed & clean?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Clothing free of food stains?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Wheelchairs clean?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Rooms
Bedroom	□ Private □ One roommate □ Two roommates	□ Private □ One roommate □ Two roommates	□ Private □ One roommate □ Two roommates
Dining Room
Attentive nurse aides?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Age appropriate music?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Showers / Bathrooms
Showers clean?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Bathrooms clean?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Enough turning radius for a wheelchair in bathroom?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Visitor bathroom clean?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No
Therapy
Rehab	□ Physical □ Occupational □ Speech □ Restorative Nursing Exercise	□ Physical □ Occupational □ Speech □ Restorative Nursing Exercise	□ Physical □ Occupational □ Speech □ Restorative Nursing Exercise
If my loved one is on Medicaid, does facility offer therapy?	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No	□ Yes □ No