The Worth County Convalescent Center will offer a scholarship program to employees interested in obtaining a nursing degree. In return, employees must for the center for a minimum period of two years full-time (more than 32 hours a week) or three years part-time (16 to 32 hours a week). The center will provide $1,500 per semester for a total of three semesters in exchange for the commitment. Recipients must pass their licensure tests as either an LPN or an RN. If a candidate works part-time, they will be required to work at least 16 hours a week.
If the recipient were to fail to pass their test, fail to graduate from nursing school, or fail to complete their employment obligations to the center, then they would be required to pay back their scholarship to the center within two years at 9% interest. If a recipient were unable to fulfill the requirements of the contract due to becoming legally disabled or due to a certified health reason that prevents them from fulfilling the contract, then the monies would be forgiven.
The board reviewed the January profit and loss statement. The facility dropped to 36 patients for much of the last month, but added three more patients by the first part of March so that they are now at 39 patients, including three Part A patients.
Board President Scott Houk reported on a trip that he and Administrator Charlie Green and several board members and employees took to an ombudsman meeting. While there, they met with personnel from 5-6 other nursing homes and exchanged ideas. Houk said that the WCCC was doing well compared to similar projects; for instance, Schuyler County, which is twice the size of Worth County, only supported a 60-bed facility that was similar to Worth County's. He said that one facility had a ground-source heat pump that would take up a lot more land than what the facility owns, but that he said would save the facility a lot of energy costs; the main obstacles would be getting the land as well as the initial costs in putting it in.
Administrator Charlie Green reported that he had called Kristina Brudin of the Missouri Department of Transportation to inquire about the status of the grant for the new van and was told that it had never reached his desk, which means that the WCCC may have to start from scratch and reapply. However, Rolling Hills Creative Living of Albany has a van that they might be willing to give to the facility; Cathy James, who works at Rolling Hills, brought the van to the facility for Green and board members to inspect. Green reported that the 1983 van was now burning up a quart of oil every 300 miles and that the lift was not always working on it, especially in rainy weather.
The meeting was the last meeting for Board Member Wilbur Osborne, who is not seeking reelection. He said that things were looking up but that the stability of the facility depended on them continuing to get reimbursements. Administrator Green said that the facility was fortunate in that the county was prompt in reimbursing tax dollars; he noted that many other agencies had a problem with that.
Resident Merle Foley asked why the Bingo activities were being held in the dining area instead of the meeting room, which she said was designed for such activities. She said that the dining area was not big enough for Bingo and that she knew of several residents who would not go if they were being held in the dining area. On the other hand, Foley said that the meeting room was built for activities and that it could easily seat 20 for Bingo and that the dining area was too hot. Green responded that the staff had done surveys and that the majority of residents wanted to continue to hold it in the dining area. But Rose Dilley, another resident, said that was because the questions were poorly worded and confusing; for instance, she said that when she got the survey, it took her a long time to understand the questions. Green said that he knew of some residents who wouldn't come to the meeting room; he added that having activities in the dining area would be a selling point for people who walked in the door and saw active residents; he said that having Bingo in the meeting room instead of the dining room would require a longer response time from staff in the event of one of the residents needing assistance.
Board President Scott Houk said that this was an administrative issue and the board directed Green to work with the Residents' Council at their next meeting Thursday, but he suggested that the facility could have Bingo in the meeting room for people who didn't want to go to the dining area and vice versa. Board member Kaye Havner said that it was a matter of doing what it took to keep the residents happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment