Hillcrest names new director of nursing

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A new director of nursing has been hired at Hillcrest Nursing Home.

The Hillcrest Board of Trustees met Rebecca "Becky" Tate, of Decatur County, at its regular board meeting Tuesday. Tate has been hired as the director of nursing and started Tuesday, said Colinda Nappa, Hillcrest administrator. Tate recently was the director of nursing in Hoxie, Kansas.

The board also voted to renew liability coverage, with decreased rates due to the drop in workman compensation costs. Nappa cited the increased focus on safety practices, as well as allowing employees to work light duty for work-related injuries (instead of not working at all) and therefore going 300 days without lost time due to a work-related injury.

In other discussion:

* Total cash on hand is $676,123.81, with $354,754.34 in the sinking fund (used for the yearly payments of loans). Estimated payments due Hillcrest are $345,635.15, that includes $23,000 from Medicaid, $65,484.15 from Medicare, $249,151 from private pay and $8,000 from the VA.

* As of Tuesday, Hillcrest has 95 residents, compared to 83 this time last year, with eight in skilled nursing (9 in 2013), one in hospice, the same as last year and two VA residents. There are 51 private-paid residents (31 in 2013), 32 state-paid (41 in 2013), with 10 in assisted living (nine in 2013).