Poster Session: 1st Place Winner

Title of Poster:  Minimizing the Inappropriate Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) in the Elderly

Names and Affiliations:  Stanley Nomura, PharmD, Pharmacy Manager, CDVA Veterans Home of CA – WLA; Aileen Laqui, PharmD candidate, Western University Health Sciences Class of 2014; Tina Ip, PharmD candidate, Western University Health Sciences Class of 2014

Non-compliance with F-Tag 329, Unnecessary Meds, raises red flags in many long term care (LTC) facilities. The misuse of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is a leading cause.  Why is it so prevalent and what can be done about it?  A multidisciplinary team, led by the pharmacist, worked with the residents at our facility to discover those reasons, then developed and implemented strategies to address them.

Poster Session: 2nd Place Winner

Title of Poster: Palliative Care in the Long Term Care Setting

Authors:  Traci Clark RN,  and Christie Scott RN FNP

May of 2013, Dr. Eran Matalon with the assistance of Christy Scott-Nurse Practitioner and Olesia Felciano-MDS Coordinator, began researching and developing a plan to bring Palliative Care to Northern California in the long-term setting. With the support of leadership and staff at Creekside Rehabilitation Center-our team has been able to design program objectives, bring added support to patients and families, reduce hospital readmissions, and improve overall care satisfaction without incurring great cost to the facility. In this small sample, the modified version of the Bluegrass Model has proven overwhelmingly effective in retrospective review analysis.

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Poster Session: 3rd Place Winner

Title of Poster:  Decision-Making in Long-Term Care - Who Decides What?

Names and Affiliations:  Robert M. Gibson, Ph.D., J.D., Rebecca Ferrini, MD, MPH, CMD, Edgemoor Distinct Part SNF, San Diego County, Santee, CA 

Many residents of long term care facilities lack capacity to make all their own decisions, and many have legal determinations impacting decision making.  Studies show that physicians, nurses and social workers are generally not familiar with legal issues regarding decision-making.1   Theoretical understanding can be challenged in real world situations with confusing and often contradictory documents and considerations.

Title of Poster:  Implementation of “Blue Sheet” (Patient Profile) To Increase Communication Between Nursing and Therapy Staff

MaryAnn Mahoney, Community Liaison, Apple Valley Post Acute Rehab, 1035 Gravensteins Highway South, Sebastopol, Ca. 95472

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