Powhatan Nursing Home is a licensed and privately owned senior living provider. The facility can be reached via the telephone on 703-538-2400, via mail at powhatan1@aol.com, or through a physical address of 2100 Powhatan Street, Falls Church VA 22043. The health care facility lies on a 7.5-acre piece of land and is among the oldest nursing homes in the area, dating back to 1966. The facility is entirely dedicated to “residents” who can no longer undertake their activities of daily living because of their health care needs, for instance, due to old age or those recovering from surgical or medical disorders. The aim is to provide long-term and short-term (respite) nursing care, rehabilitation services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech or language therapy, as expressed by Erin Albano, the activities Assistant.
Powhatan Nursing Home offers more than just nursing care, and its variety of amenities and services include social, educational, and recreational activities like gardening and pet therapy, support groups, religious services, beautician and barber services, private dining room for family and guests, laundry services, and an on-site maintenance and repair crew. These services are in line with their drive to promote health and advancement of growth for their residents, the staff, and extending it to the community. Admission to this facility is smooth and less cumbersome and depends on the type of care, appropriate environment for the individual patient, and the availability of accommodation. The type of care is determined by the expertise of the Powhatan Nursing Home personnel and the availability of equipment needed to carry out services sought by patients. However, several complaints by dissatisfied customers at a personal level and in the firm’s social media platforms have been raised on case-mix issues. This situation happens when the payment made earlier after estimation by the organization’s classification system is not entirely utilized with reasons cited including impromptu discharge or referral and death of a resident. Reimbursement of cash is a long process that may eventually not bear fruits, and should be addressed.
The facility takes pride in the ratio of qualified and licensed nurses greater than the national average, which ensures all the residents’ interests are accommodated on a 24-hour a day basis. Regarding recruitment, the staff ranging from the medical personnel to technical employees are certified and trained to undertake their roles and responsibilities effectively. The facility often organizes continuous education for its entire staff and equips them with organizational skills to thrive in their working environment, for instance, teamwork and coping skills. The administrator, who is involved in the overall management of the facility, holds a master’s degree in public administration and an undergraduate degree in public health. The leader carries the facility’s mission, vision, and goals at heart. Furthermore, he works under pressure, delegates duties effectively, and establishes partnerships with the community. The manager is in charge of program development, implementation, evaluation, and budget planning to facilitate achievement of the set objectives. The administrator expresses that mobilization of resources and capacity building has become a major impediment to the delivery of quality health care services as they receive little donation from well-wishers, the state, or the federal government.
The facility does not offer skilled nursing and therapy care, though residents can bring their doctors on board. The establishment is also not a Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home, and therefore, there is little information on the quality of resident care and staffing. Besides, there is no data on the average number of staff hours per resident per day about licensed nurses, Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses, and physical therapists as this is relative. Furthermore, the facility did not submit the fiscal year 2016, 2017, or 2018 information as mandated by the Virginia Code 32.1-276.7 to review and measure the efficiency and productivity of healthcare providers (Virginia Health Information, 2020). The efficiency indicators at Powhatan nursing home varies depending on the charges, costs, productivity and utilization, financial viability, and community support through charity care. Consequently, the patient or the family assumes the responsibility for payment for the services rendered and the supplies and equipment needed for their care and maintenance.
On a more positive note, health care delivery at the facility is at par with the standards as the outcomes are good per the residents’ health, physical functioning, mental status, and general well-being, according to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Nurse Aide hours per resident per day is 2 hours 18 minutes, which complies with the national average but a bit higher compared with the Virginia average. The last recorded findings and violations in the foodservice inspection were done in 2015 (city-data.com). Thus, the facility has managed not to be involved in any lawsuits in the recent past.
To attract consumers, the marketing strategies employed include the social media and holding of campaigns and health talks in the community which have been effective. The facility has an active website, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts for marketing and being in touch with its consumers. The facility made it to the limelight when a story of a college graduate giving the residents an experience of touring the world virtually was featured in Washington’s post on 15th October 2019. The student helped nursing home residents to see the world at the comfort of their homes through virtual tours (Lumpkin, 2019). This facility has been positively reviewed in relation to the work and life balance, compensation and benefits, job security and advancement, management and culture. (Indeed, 2020). The facility has not been commented on Glass Door but is currently seeking to fill the full-time position of maintenance technician (Indeed, 2020). Moreover, the nursing home is open to volunteer-ship programs, for instance, the paw for a cause program in 2017, enabling the community to be part.
Despite the challenges of running a health care facility, such as fiscal constraints, the Nursing Home is developing a strategic plan to provide skilled nursing and therapy care and seek more funding. This move will aid in the organization’s vision to be an institution “where caring makes a difference” to the senior population, as stated in its motto. Therefore, with 287 nursing homes in Virginia alone, all of which are striving to provide quality health care to the senior population, it is suffice to say that the future is bright for the senior population and those providing the care. With more involvement of the community and more funding from the state and federal governments, we are steering towards the right direction of positive healthcare outcomes and a happy population.
References
City-Data. (2020). Powhatan Nursing Home, 2100 Powhatan St, Falls Church, VA 22043 – Nursing Home Food Service inspection findings and violations. Retrieved from: http://www.city-data.com/va-restaurants/Powhatan-Nursing-Home.html
Indeed. (2020). Powhatan Nursing Home Careers and Employment. Retrieved from: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Powhatan-Nursing-Home
Lumpkin, L. (2019, Oct. 15). A recent college graduate helps nursing-home residents see the world — without leaving home. The Washington Post. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/a-recent-college-graduate-helps-nursing-home-residents-see-the-world–without-leaving-home/2019/10/14/31e3bcbe-eb89-11e9-9c6d-436a0df4f31d_story.html
Virginia Health Information. (2020). Powhatan Nursing Home. Retrieved from: http://www.vhi.org/Powhatan%20Nursing%20Home.html?tab=&?=nh7440/