50 Things to Look For When Visiting A Nursing Home (1-25) - A Complete Checklist

In our published consumer guide, North Carolina’s Guide to Nursing Home Negligence, there is a checklist in the last pages that can be taken and completed when you or a loved on tours the facilities of a North Carolina nursing home. Over the next two days we will be sharing some of the information listed in this checklist. If you would like a free copy of the guide, please call our offices at 1-800-600-7969 or just click here to request one via our website.

Today we will go over the first 25 on the checklist. All of these should be answered with either a yes or no as to the conditions in the nursing home you visit. Also, make sure to add comments to remember your visit in the best detail possible:

1. The nursing home is Medicare-certified
2. The nursing home is Medicaid-certified
3. The nursing home has the level of care you need (e.g. skilled, custodial), and bed is available.
4. The nursing home has special services if needed in a separate unit (e.g. dementia, ventilator or rehabilitation), and a bed is available.
5. The nursing home is located close enough for friends and family to visit.
6. Residents are clean, appropriately dressed for the season or time of day, and well-groomed.
7. The nursing home is free from overwhelming unpleasant odors.
8. The nursing home appears clean and well kept.
9. The temperature in the nursing home is comfortable for residents.
10. The nursing home has good lighting.
11. Noise levels in the dining room and other commons areas are comfortable.
12. Smoking isn’t allowed or may be restricted to certain areas of the nursing home.
13. Furnishings are sturdy, yet comfortable and attractive
14. The relationship between the staff and the residents appears to be warm, polite and respectful.
15. All staff wear name tags.
16. Staff knock on the door before entering a resident’s room and refer to residents by name.
17. The nursing home offers training and continuing education for all staff.
18. The nursing home does background checks on all staff.
19. The guide on your tour knows the residents by name and is recognized by them.
20. There are licensed nursing staff 24 hours a day, including a Registered Nurse (RN) present at least 8 hours per day, 7 days a week.
21. The same team of nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) work with the same resident 4 to 5 days a week.
22. CNAs work with a reasonable number of residents.
23. CNAs are involved in care plan meetings.
24. There is a full time social worker on staff.
25. There is a licensed doctor on staff who is there daily and can be reached at all times.