After a hospital stay for surgery, injury, or serious illness, many patients need more support before returning home. That’s where short-term skilled nursing comes in—a vital bridge between hospital and home, offering clinical oversight and personalized therapy. For families in Arizona, Santé Cares provides medical-resort-style skilled nursing in a comforting, healing environment.
Understanding how this transition works can help patients recover safely while easing the emotional and logistical concerns that often come with discharge planning.
What Is a Skilled Nursing Facility?
A skilled nursing facility (SNF) offers short-term, physician-directed care for individuals who no longer need hospital-level treatment but are not ready to manage their recovery alone. These facilities deliver 24/7 clinical support alongside daily therapy, helping patients regain strength and confidence.
At Santé’s four Arizona locations—Chandler, Mesa, Surprise, and North Scottsdale—patients receive high-quality, short-term skilled nursing care tailored to their unique recovery goals.
When Is Short-Term Skilled Nursing Necessary?
Patients often transfer to a SNF after hospitalization for:
- Orthopedic procedures (e.g., hip, knee, or spine surgery)
- Cardiac events, including valve replacement or bypass surgery
- Neurological conditions such as stroke or neurosurgery recovery
- Traumatic injuries or fractures
- Severe infections or complications requiring IV antibiotics or wound care
In these cases, a short-term skilled nursing facility near me provides focused, time-limited care to help patients stabilize, regain independence, and avoid hospital readmission.
How Skilled Nursing Supports Recovery
Santé’s post-surgical skilled nursing and post-injury skilled nursing programs deliver a combination of medical supervision, daily therapy, and emotional support. Patients work with a team of licensed nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and attending physicians who adjust care plans as needed.
Services include:
- Medication management
- IV therapy and wound care
- Mobility and strength training
- Nutritional support with chef-prepared meals
- Safety monitoring and fall prevention
Each patient receives a personalized plan designed to promote comfort, reduce pain, and accelerate recovery.
Specialized Programs for Complex Conditions
Santé Cares offers several targeted rehabilitation tracks based on patients’ diagnoses:
Cardiac Skilled Nursing
Care plans support individuals recovering from heart surgery, heart failure, or pacemaker placement. Therapies focus on heart-healthy exercises, oxygen support, and medication compliance to stabilize cardiac function.
Neurological Skilled Nursing
Designed for patients with strokes, Parkinson’s disease, or brain injuries, this program incorporates speech and cognitive therapy alongside physical rehabilitation to improve function and communication.
These services are all part of the short-term skilled nursing approach at Santé, ensuring each patient’s care is as comprehensive as their condition requires.
What Makes Santé’s SNF Experience Different?
At Santé, skilled nursing doesn’t feel clinical—it feels restorative. Our medical-resort model blends clinical excellence with comfort-focused amenities, allowing patients to recover in a peaceful, private setting.
We’re also proud to be the first skilled nursing facility in Arizona to receive the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Certification of Care. This recognition confirms that Santé meets the AHA’s rigorous standards for:
- Evidence-based treatment protocols
- Patient-centered heart health education
- Advanced care coordination
- Reduced rehospitalizations related to cardiac conditions
This prestigious certification underscores our commitment to delivering the highest standard of cardiac skilled nursing and positions Santé as a leader in heart-health recovery support.
Our facilities also include:
- Private suites with roll-in showers and kitchenettes
- Oversized, adjustable beds
- World-class rehab equipment
- Spa services and salon treatments
- Restaurant-style dining and on-site bistro
Whether you’re staying for a few days or a few weeks, you’ll be supported every step of the way by a compassionate, physician-led care team.
Making the Transition from Hospital to Skilled Nursing
When a physician determines that skilled nursing is needed, the hospital discharge planner or case manager will help coordinate the move. Patients and families can choose where to go—many prefer a short-term skilled nursing facility near me to stay close to home and loved ones.
Santé works closely with hospitals to ensure a smooth admission process. Our admissions team handles insurance verification, medical records review, and room preparation to make your transition as stress-free as possible.
Preparing for a Safe Return Home
A successful SNF stay doesn’t end with therapy sessions. Discharge planning is a key part of the recovery journey. The goal at Santé is to help every patient build the strength and skills needed to return home with confidence.
After completing their skilled nursing program, many patients transition to outpatient therapy or home health, also offered by Santé, to continue healing in a familiar environment.
Begin Your Recovery with Santé
When it comes to recovering after hospitalization, choosing the right skilled nursing partner can make all the difference. At Santé, we deliver compassionate care that helps you heal faster and live better.
If you or a loved one needs short-term skilled nursing after surgery, illness, or injury, our team is here to guide you through every step of the recovery process.
Contact us today to learn more about our Arizona SNF locations and how we can support your transition from hospital to home.
Sources:
[1] https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/skilled-nursing-facility-snf-care
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5693352/
Dan is Vice President, Marketing of the Alumus family of companies. A Seattle native, he earned his BA in Humanities and Political Science at Evergreen State College. He started his career as a newspaper columnist, eventually transitioning into marketing and tech writing for Microsoft and several other startups. He later launched a successful creative agency focused on branding, digital marketing, and content production in Los Angeles, where he worked for several nursing and behavioral health clients, eventually becoming the National Marketing Director for one of them.
He has taught Vipassana mindfulness meditation and MBSR and spends whatever free time he has with his son snowboarding, hiking, and camping in the mountains.