Bloom Into Success: SNF Academy with Dr. Erica Patterson

Hey CO Readers! 

This blog comes from CO’s physical therapist Dr. Erica Patterson PT, DPT, PRT, who offers a very different but much needed service in our profession.   

Dr. Erica is based in Milwaukee, WI and in addition to her running her cash-based PT business, she also runs The Skilled Nursing Academy – an online community for clinicians in the skilled nursing setting & 1:1 mentorship to fellow rehab clinicians that work in that setting. There truly is no other service like it & by expanding into this niche, she has not only impacted fellow clinicians but continues to impact tons of patients through her services as well.  

What is a skilled nursing facility? 

• A skilled nursing facility (SNF) is a transitional facility for patients (50 years old +) that are ready to be discharged from hospital level care, but they need more physical rehabilitation and nursing care before they are ready to return home safely 

• These facilities can also care for patients long term that need more assistance.  

• In addition to nursing, these facilities offer physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.  

Why is Dr. Erica the go-to skilled nursing expert? 

• Dr. Erica has been a full-time & PRN (as needed) PT in skilled nursing facilities since 2021. Although she has worked in almost every setting as a PT, she primarily works in orthopedics/sports & SNFs. 

• She jumped into this setting initially as a new grad and had a terrible experience because of 2 things: 

1.  PT school does not spend much time educating PTs on this setting and Dr. Erica was shocked when she experienced the productivity expectations, burnout rate, poor patient care, low staffing, risk for fraudulent practices and low rate of pay compared to other settings. 
2. Most of these facilities are run by big for-profit companies that frankly prioritize money over patient care. 

• Unfortunately, most facilities have these qualities, and it impacts the quality of treatment that patients receive & the job satisfaction of employees. 

• But Dr. Erica knew 1 thing -> Despite all of this – about 1.3 million Americans reside in skilled nursing facilities every year. That’s 1.3 million Americans impacted by these poor standards of care. 

• Dr. Erica didn’t just learn how to create great pay, great flexibility, and how to be a great SNF physical therapist, but she learned how to advocate for her patients, herself, and other clinicians to improve healthcare in these facilities. 

• So many clinicians get stuck in this setting feeling burnt out & hopeless. But Dr. Erica is working to change that by empowering fellow clinicians to come together and create larger change for our patients, our profession, & our community. 

• This is why she created The Skilled Nursing Academy. 

What exactly is The Skilled Nursing Academy? 

• It is a virtual Facebook community that helps current and future rehab professionals navigate the skilled nursing facility setting by helping them make more money, avoid being taken advantage of as an employee, ensure ethical practice backed by advocacy, and ultimately empower them to have more freedom to make the most out of their career so their patients can receive the best care. 

• The Academy also includes 1:1 mentorship for PTs with Dr. Erica where she creates a customized mentorship package or virtual mentorship & resources based on the level of experience the clinician has in the setting, what type of role they are in or will be in, and what goals they have in their career.  

• A majority of facilities don’t offer any training or mentorship for new employees and often want them to see patients on the first day. So many PTs have struggled in these facilities & have found so much value in The Skilled Nursing Academy and the space it provides for open and honest conversations, community, and encouragement. 
• So, this mentorship is crucial to ensure each clinician is educated and confident for their new role and can navigate patient care with success. 

Here are a couple of things that fellow Skilled Nursing Academy clinicians have said: 

What’s in store for the future? 

• In addition to mentorship for PTs, Dr. Erica hopes to expand mentorship and resources for the other care team members in these facilities like occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, nurses, and social workers to create broader impact.  
• Dr. Erica is also hoping to expand into patient and family consulting and mentorship as well to help them navigate these facilities well so they can have the best experience and an advocate in their time of need.  

If you made it this far – thanks for reading! Dr. Erica Patterson loves working as a cash PT, but she has a special place in her heart for patients, families, and clinicians in skilled nursing facilities. Through The Skilled Nursing Academy, she hopes to grow the community of like-minded clinicians that want to advocate for better healthcare standards in SNFs while also finding more joy, balance, and empowerment in their careers. If this blog has inspired you to join her efforts, don’t hesitate to reach out!