Hospital Care vs Nursing Home Care

Hospital care differs from care at a nursing home facility. Hospitals specialize in short-term patient care. On average, a patient stays at the hospital for about four days. Hospitals treat and release their patients rather quickly because of the lack of rooms to accommodate them all, and the many demands from the insurance company. Patients come for numerous reasons that differ for all individuals. Patients come to the hospital in crucial situations, for which teams of medical specialists come together to diagnose, stabilize, and treat conditions. For example, some patients come to the hospital after car accidents, while others need electrocardiograms and medication for heart attacks. While the number of patients is relatively large, their contact with health care providers is small. The health care provider usually cares for thirty-five patients at a time. Patients usually do not become sociable with health care providers because there is simply not enough time. A patient may see a health care provider a few times while in the hospital. Therefore, the health care provider keeps their conversation to the patient about treatment and/or recovery. In addition, the staff only deals with specific care, meaning health care providers only treat the patient for what they have been diagnosed with. If a patient has undergone an appendectomy, and then has a tooth ache while in the hospital, the health care providers would just refer you to a dentist and give the patient Tylenol. Not many health care providers would increase the patient's stay at the hospital for other medical problems. Stafford 2

Health care providers at a hospital treat the major problems and tend to neglect the small problems. As for nursing home, the facilities specialize in long-term care. On average patients live in a nursing home for about six months. Although nursing facilities are rarely vacant, they keep patients till all treatment is completed or until the patient passes