Key Criteria for Nursing Home Product Selection
The best product for a facility meets multiple needs. - Absorbency: Must handle a range of incontinence levels, including overnight protection for heavy users. - Fit range: Products should be available in sizes from petite to bariatric, accommodating all residents. - Ease of use for staff: Features like color-coded sizing, easy-open tabs, and clear wetness indicators save time and reduce errors. - Skin outcomes: Breathable, hypoallergenic materials help prevent rashes and breakdowns. - Cost per use: Consider not just price per unit, but how many changes are needed and the impact on laundry and staff time.
Understanding Your Resident Population
• Mobility mix: Know how many residents are ambulatory, need some assistance, or are bedbound. This affects product style (pull-ups vs. briefs).
• Continence levels: Assess the proportion with light, moderate, or heavy incontinence. Include bowel incontinence rates.
• Special care units: Memory care or rehab units may need specific products for wandering or confusion, or for residents with extra skin risks.
Standardizing vs. Customizing Product Mix
• Standardizing: Simplifies ordering, training, and inventory. Best for units with similar needs.
• Customizing: Allows exceptions for residents with unique needs (e.g., allergies, bariatric sizing, or specific skin conditions). Document exceptions clearly.
• Best practice: Standardize where possible, but empower clinical leaders to approve exceptions.
Evaluating Product Quality Beyond the Price Tag
• Leak performance: Track incidents of leaks and extra laundry.
• Comfort: Get feedback from staff and residents on fit, noise, and bulk.
• Skin outcomes: Monitor skin checks for rashes or breakdowns.
• Staff feedback: Listen to aides and nurses—they know which products work in real-world conditions.
Trialing and Comparing Products in Real Conditions
- Pilot programs: Run small pilots with a few residents or a unit. Compare current and new products side by side.
- Collect feedback: Use structured forms for staff to report on ease of use, leaks, comfort, and skin.
- Data-driven: Make decisions based on both outcomes and budgets, not just marketing claims.
Integrating Products into Care Plans and Documentation
- Care plans: Document product type, size, and change schedule for each resident.
- Communication: Ensure all staff know the current product mix and any exceptions.
- Training: Provide refreshers when new products are introduced.
Aligning Product Choices with Supply Planning and Subscriptions
- Consistent product selection: Makes ordering easier, reduces waste, and ensures you never run out of key sizes.
- Subscriptions: Set up recurring orders for high-use products. Adjust quantities as census or needs change.
- Cost control: Predictable ordering helps with budgeting and reduces emergency purchases.
The right approach to product selection supports resident dignity, staff efficiency, and financial sustainability. For help piloting products or setting up a supply plan, Adult Care Depot offers expert guidance and flexible subscription options.