MONROE - It won't be done this year, or even maybe next year, but Pleasant View Nursing Home Administrator Terry Nelson believes she can turn around the home's financial situation.
Nelson, who has been either a director of nursing or a nursing home administrator for the past 30 years, became administrator at the Green County nursing home in August. She's already started to look for ways to save money and put the nursing home on solid financial ground.
It's going to take time, she cautioned.
In 2008, the nursing home had a deficit of about $900,000. This year, the nursing home expects to lose about $1.2 million. The increasing deficit is the reason the Green County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 25 passed a resolution for an Oct. 6 referendum to ask county residents to allow it to exceed the tax levy limit by up to $890,000 each of the next five years to fund the nursing home. The board promised it wouldn't seek the entire amount in any year it wasn't needed.
Enter Nelson, who's seeking ways to cut costs and raise revenues at the nursing home.
While the state government's decision not to send the county all of the federal money intended for Pleasant View is a major factor in the nursing home's operating deficit, Nelson said there are changes that can be made to save expenses.
One of those changes, Nelson said, is to hire more nurses rather than hiring agencies.
In 2009, she said, the nursing home paid about $300,000 over the budgeted $500,000 for nursing services from agencies that provide workers to nursing homes. Nelson estimates $400,000 could be saved annually by hiring its own nurses.
A certified nursing assistant at Pleasant View earns between $11 and $16 an hour, depending on experience. A CNA from an agency costs the nursing home between $18 and $22 an hour.
A licensed practical nurse at Pleasant View earns about $20 an hour, while an agency LPN costs Pleasant View between $33 and $37 an hour.
A statewide nursing shortage makes her idea easier said than done, Nelson admits.
"There aren't as many people going to nursing schools and making nursing their profession," Nelson said. "There's going to be a shortage of nursing in the future because many of them are getting close to retirement."
To try to resolve the nursing problem, Nelson posted job listings on free Web sites. There are about nine positions open, and Nelson hopes they can be filled by the end of the year. She said there have been positive responses, as well as a few interviews of interested candidates.
"We're putting a significant effort into filling those positions," she said.
Nelson also plans to speak with Blackhawk Technical College to try to recruit nurses.
There also are ways the nursing home could receive more money from the federal government by changing how it documents staff work, Nelson said.
At times, a resident may only need one nurse for help, but the same resident may sometimes need two nurses. In the past, nursing home documents showed only one nurse helping the resident. If the second nurse's work was documented, Nelson said, Pleasant View would receive a larger reimbursement from the federal government.
Such a change could help the home receive an extra $53,000 annually, Nelson said.
She said the nursing home also needs to keep its beds full.
Pleasant View has a capacity for 130 people. In August, there were 127 residents at the nursing home. However, in April, there were 117 residents. The more residents, the more federal money. Also, having 10 empty beds doesn't reduce operating costs.
"You still have to have nurses and other expenses of running the home," she said.
Nelson's goal is to get people to think about Pleasant View when they are looking for a nursing home.
"Pleasant View has a good reputation," she said.
But all of the proposed changes won't change the short-term financial picture for the home. It will take time to turn things around financially, Nelson said.
Nelson, who has been either a director of nursing or a nursing home administrator for the past 30 years, became administrator at the Green County nursing home in August. She's already started to look for ways to save money and put the nursing home on solid financial ground.
It's going to take time, she cautioned.
In 2008, the nursing home had a deficit of about $900,000. This year, the nursing home expects to lose about $1.2 million. The increasing deficit is the reason the Green County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 25 passed a resolution for an Oct. 6 referendum to ask county residents to allow it to exceed the tax levy limit by up to $890,000 each of the next five years to fund the nursing home. The board promised it wouldn't seek the entire amount in any year it wasn't needed.
Enter Nelson, who's seeking ways to cut costs and raise revenues at the nursing home.
While the state government's decision not to send the county all of the federal money intended for Pleasant View is a major factor in the nursing home's operating deficit, Nelson said there are changes that can be made to save expenses.
One of those changes, Nelson said, is to hire more nurses rather than hiring agencies.
In 2009, she said, the nursing home paid about $300,000 over the budgeted $500,000 for nursing services from agencies that provide workers to nursing homes. Nelson estimates $400,000 could be saved annually by hiring its own nurses.
A certified nursing assistant at Pleasant View earns between $11 and $16 an hour, depending on experience. A CNA from an agency costs the nursing home between $18 and $22 an hour.
A licensed practical nurse at Pleasant View earns about $20 an hour, while an agency LPN costs Pleasant View between $33 and $37 an hour.
A statewide nursing shortage makes her idea easier said than done, Nelson admits.
"There aren't as many people going to nursing schools and making nursing their profession," Nelson said. "There's going to be a shortage of nursing in the future because many of them are getting close to retirement."
To try to resolve the nursing problem, Nelson posted job listings on free Web sites. There are about nine positions open, and Nelson hopes they can be filled by the end of the year. She said there have been positive responses, as well as a few interviews of interested candidates.
"We're putting a significant effort into filling those positions," she said.
Nelson also plans to speak with Blackhawk Technical College to try to recruit nurses.
There also are ways the nursing home could receive more money from the federal government by changing how it documents staff work, Nelson said.
At times, a resident may only need one nurse for help, but the same resident may sometimes need two nurses. In the past, nursing home documents showed only one nurse helping the resident. If the second nurse's work was documented, Nelson said, Pleasant View would receive a larger reimbursement from the federal government.
Such a change could help the home receive an extra $53,000 annually, Nelson said.
She said the nursing home also needs to keep its beds full.
Pleasant View has a capacity for 130 people. In August, there were 127 residents at the nursing home. However, in April, there were 117 residents. The more residents, the more federal money. Also, having 10 empty beds doesn't reduce operating costs.
"You still have to have nurses and other expenses of running the home," she said.
Nelson's goal is to get people to think about Pleasant View when they are looking for a nursing home.
"Pleasant View has a good reputation," she said.
But all of the proposed changes won't change the short-term financial picture for the home. It will take time to turn things around financially, Nelson said.