The United States is currently experiencing an outbreak of a novel coronavirus (officially named COVID-19, aka 2019-nCoV), a respiratory disease that was first seen in Wuhan City, China. Healthcare workers are at a higher risk for exposure due to the nature of their work in close contact with patients and …
Being the director of nursing (DON) is challenging, and anyone in the role will surely agree. Having a DON title comes with great rewards and requires lots of skills. I tell new DONs it’s all about having the right tools in your toolbox. Like a mechanic, when you have the …
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 …
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 …
1. Evaluate if the nurse assessment coordinator has enough hours The nurse assessment coordinator’s (NAC’s) job is a lot to handle, and it’s getting even bigger with more and more regulations coming their way. Sometimes there’s just not enough time to complete all of the tasks required. To help ease the burden …
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 …
Certification programs elevate the standard of knowledge and skills required for a profession. In nursing, certifications are offered by specialty, and there are many paths to choose from. If you are considering a career in nursing, you may be wondering – why should I earn a nursing certification in addition …
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 …
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 …
You just passed your final exam and you’re ready to tell the whole world that you are finally RAC-CT certified! This is your moment of achievement. It’s something you’ve been working very hard toward for months, putting in hours of studying, and now – YOU DID IT! With your certificate in hand, …
