3 Tools for the New Director of Nursing’s Toolbox – Part 2

In Part 1 of this blog series, I talked about how your team communicates with you and how you can set expectations for that communication. In this post, I am going to touch on how you can deal with uncompassionate and abusive employees. Addressing Adverse Staff Within my first few months …

3 Tools for the New Director of Nursing’s Toolbox – Part 3

In Part 1 and Part 2 of this blog series, I covered how setting expectations regarding communication and behavior can save you some big headaches over time. Now, let’s discuss the final tool you’ll need to have as a new director of nursing. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Success as a DON depends on …

5 Qualities of a Successful Nurse Assessment Coordinator

A nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) has many important qualities; however, there are a few that you should really keep in mind if you want to be successful in your job. 1.       Learner/adaptable – The long-term care nursing environment is always changing. New government regulations are updated and changed every year (the RAI User’s Manual, Quality …

Why Should I Become a Certified Nurse Assessment Coordinator (NAC)?

Nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) are required to understand the extensive and complex regulatory body surrounding the RAI/MDS process and regulations are always changing. Coding correctly and having keen assessment skills are also very important parts of a NAC’s job, which lead to the best care possible for residents and accurate Medicare …

5 Tips for Surviving Your RAC-CT Certification

Achieving your Resident Assessment Coordinator—Certified (RAC-CT®) certification is a tremendous accomplishment for a nurse assessment coordinator in long-term care; however, the road isn’t easy. It takes hours of studying, in-depth learning and critical thinking, and focus to complete the 10 courses and pass the exams. If you are considering embarking on your …

Q&A: Does anyone have an ‘International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative’ policy?

Question: Does anyone have an ‘International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative’ policy? Answer: The IDDSI framework has many resources and guidance on how to implement the framework. https://iddsi.org/framework/  Consider convening a meeting with the dietitian, ST, dietary manager, and the rep from your food service company to discuss use and implementation. …

3 Simple Ways Nurse Assessment Coordinators (NACs) Can Help Support Staff Retention

By Jessica Kunkler, MA Staff turnover is everyone’s problem, and in facilities across the United States, it’s a big one. One in four  nursing assistants and one in five home health aides report that they are actively looking for another job, according to the Recruitment and Retention Guide For Employers by …