31. Over the course of two weeks, the hospice nurse and social worker receive separate calls from two adult children of a terminally ill resident on service who lives at a local skilled nursing facility (SNF). On the calls, the resident's children express frustration that the resident's and family's goals of care are not consistently being supported by various actions of the nursing home staff. The nurse's BEST initial course of action would be to
Answer: D
Initiate interdisciplinary team collaboration to facilitate resolution of issues between stakeholders.
The best initial action for the hospice nurse in this scenario is to initiate interdisciplinary team collaboration, as this approach addresses the concerns of both the family and the nursing home staff by promoting communication and teamwork among all parties involved.
A) Encourage the family to call the SNF Ombudsman and express their concerns
While involving the SNF Ombudsman could be a potential step if issues persist, it is not the immediate best course of action. This option does not address the situation collaboratively and may escalate tensions without first attempting to resolve the issues directly with the nursing home staff.
B) Place a call to the SNF Director of Nursing to express the patient and family concerns
Contacting the SNF Director of Nursing may be appropriate later, but it is not the best initial course of action. Direct communication with the nursing home staff through collaborative efforts is more effective in resolving concerns in a timely manner and fostering a cooperative environment.
C) Encourage the family to keep trying to advocate for the patient with the SNF staff
While family advocacy is important, solely encouraging the family to continue their efforts without professional support may lead to frustration and ineffective communication. This option does not utilize the hospice team's resources to create a structured approach to resolving the family's concerns.
D) Initiate interdisciplinary team collaboration to facilitate resolution of issues between stakeholders
This option is the most effective as it brings together relevant stakeholders, including the nursing home staff, the family, and the hospice team. By fostering collaboration, it allows for the concerns to be addressed comprehensively and promotes a better understanding of the goals of care.
Conclusion
Initiating interdisciplinary team collaboration is the most effective approach for addressing the concerns raised by the family, as it promotes open communication and teamwork among all involved parties. The other options either delay action, escalate the situation unnecessarily, or do not utilize the resources available through the hospice team. Thus, option D is the definitive best choice in this context.