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When a health setback requires more than a provider visit and demands skilled, long-term care close to home, finding the right level of care can make all the difference. That is exactly what the swing bed program at Trinity Health Kenmare Hospital is designed to provide.

For patients in the northwest region of North Dakota, the swing bed program provides a bridge between hospital care and returning home. Following an illness, injury or surgical procedure, patients who are stable but still need skilled nursing care and rehabilitation services can transition, or “swing,” into a recovery setting right within the walls of a familiar, community-based hospital.

“If you have a hospital patient who needs continued care, whether it be physical therapy, occupational therapy, long-term antibiotic therapy or similar services, that is when the patient can transition into a swing bed facility,” said Breanna Holte, RN, Director of Nursing at Trinity Health Kenmare Hospital.

Trinity Health Kenmare Hospital, a 25-bed critical access hospital, has long served as a vital healthcare resource for the communities around Kenmare. With the swing bed program, the facility offers patients and families a meaningful alternative to traveling long distances for recovery care, allowing patients to heal close to the people and places that matter most by remaining close to home.

“Swing bed is skilled care; it’s the same level of care you’d receive in a long-term care facility. What that means for our patients is that they can receive that level of care right here in Kenmare, close to home, without having to travel far, which allows families to stop in frequently, maintain that peace of mind and stay more connected throughout their loved one’s care journey,” said Holte.

Central to the swing bed experience at Trinity Health Kenmare Hospital is the care team that surrounds each patient throughout their recovery. From the moment a patient transitions into the swing bed program, they are supported by a dedicated group of professionals whose shared goal is to restore comfort, function and confidence.

“Patients really receive that one-on-one attention from our nursing staff. The great thing about a small hospital is that it truly is all of us involved in patient care, from certified nursing assistants to nurses to nursing leadership. Everyone in our building takes pride in being very hands-on,” said Holte.

The ultimate measure of the swing bed program’s impact is seen when patients are ready to return home. For the care team at Trinity Health Kenmare Hospital, a successful discharge is not just a clinical milestone; it is the moment the program’s purpose is fully realized.

“The goal is simple: get the patient home and keep them there. When a patient leaves without readmission and gets to spend that time at home rather than in a nursing home, that is what we are working toward from day one,” said Holte.

For patients and families who have relied on Trinity Health Kenmare Hospital during some of their most challenging moments, the swing bed program represents more than just a level of care; it embodies the strength of a community hospital that steps up when it matters most, keeps patients close to home and is dedicated to helping people return to the lives they love.