Mountrail Bethel Home Frequently Asked Questions (4/17/2020)
If you have a spouse, sibling, parents, or other loved one in a nursing home, you may be worried about their safety and well-being because of the coronavirus pandemic. Here are some key questions to ask the nursing home:
Has anyone in the nursing home tested positive for COVID-19?
There have been ZERO residents in Mountrail Bethel Home that have tested positive for COVID-19. In the event that a resident at MBH tests positive for COVID-19, all POA’s will be notified.
There have been ZERO staff members at Mountrail Bethel Home that have tested positive for COVID-19.
For the most up to date information about positive COVID-19 cases in our county, you can visit www.health.nd.gov and click on the “Corona Virus” banner at the top of the page, and then click on the square that says “North Dakota Cases” on the left side of the page.
What is the nursing home doing to prevent infections?
Mountrail Bethel Home has implemented multiple new policies to best protect the health of our residents.
- Mountrail Bethel Home is restricted to essential personnel only. Visitors are restricted from the entire hospital campus.
- Staff are screened prior to each shift for symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
- Traffic that is normally routed through Mountrail Bethel Home has been re-routed elsewhere through the building.
- All staff is wearing face masks 100% of the time while caring for residents in Mountrail Bethel Home.
- All staff is required to change into hospital sanitized scrubs each shift.
- The nursing home is following CDC and ND State Department of Health’s guidelines regarding communal activities and dining at this time. Residents are being asked to self-isolate as much as possible. When not possible, minimum distance guidelines and maximum group sizing guidelines are followed according to NDDOH and the CDC.
- We have doubled our cleaning frequency, also focusing on commonly used/touched surfaces.
Does nursing home staff have the personal protective equipment (PPE) – like masks, face shields, gowns, gloves – that they need to stay safe, and keep their patients safe? Have they been given specific training on how to use this PPE?
Yes. The Mountrail Bethel Home has adequate PPE and has a plans in place for usage and re-supply. Staff have had training in appropriate donning and doffing of PPE.
What is the nursing home doing to help residents stay connected with their families or other loved ones during this time?
Mountrail Bethel Home activity and social work departments have been working individually with families to set up times to video chat with their loved ones. We are also conducting 1:1 activities with residents in their rooms to help residents maintain social interaction.
What is the plan for the nursing home to communicate important information to both residents and families on a regular basis?
We will continue to contact the resident directly or the resident’s POA to communicate all high priority information. Other general information will be posted on our Facebook page “Mountrail County Health Foundation” or in the Mountrail County Promoter.
Is the nursing home currently at full staffing levels for nurses, aides, and other workers?
Yes. Currently we are at full staff.
What is the plan to make sure the needs of nursing home residents are met – like bathing, feeding, medication management, and social engagement – if the nursing home has staffing shortages?
If Mountrail Bethel Home has shortages in staff, staff from other departments will come help in the nursing home. We also are currently operating under a waiver that allows the nursing home to “re-activate” CNA’s and Nurses who licenses have expired. This has created a pool of people MBH could call in to work if needed. If you are concerned about the safety and well-being of a spouse, parent, or other loved one who lives in a nursing home, contact the North Dakota Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program by calling toll-free 855-462-5465, select option 3 and ask for the Long –Term Care Ombudsman Program.