Federal Nursing Home Administrator Practice Exam

What is a potential negative outcome of emphasizing resident care over documentation?

1. Improved documentation compliance

2. Insufficient tracking of resident conditions

3. Enhanced employee satisfaction

4. Reduced staff training needs

The correct answer is: Insufficient tracking of resident conditions

Emphasizing resident care over documentation can indeed lead to insufficient tracking of resident conditions. When caregivers prioritize direct interactions and care for residents, they may overlook or neglect the necessary documentation that captures the comprehensive clinical picture of each resident's health status. This oversight can result in a lack of important data that is essential for ongoing care planning, assessing trends in health changes, and fulfilling regulatory requirements. Accurate and timely documentation is crucial in a nursing home setting, as it provides the data needed for effective communication among healthcare providers, ensures compliance with legal standards, and helps safeguard the quality of care. When documentation falls by the wayside, it can hinder the ability to detect deteriorations in health, leading to potential adverse outcomes for residents who may need immediate intervention.