Unlock Leadership Excellence at the AAPACN 2026 Conference: Introducing the New Administrator Track!

Are you a nursing home administrator striving to lead your organization with confidence, clarity, and cutting-edge knowledge? The AAPACN 2026 Conference, taking place March 17–20, 2026, in Orlando, FL, now features a dedicated Administrator Track that’s designed just for you! Why This Track Matters For the first time, AAPACN is …

Change Management: How to Implement and Sustain Positive Change

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. Change Management: How to Implement and Sustain Positive Change A Greek philosopher once pointed out that “change is the only constant in life.” More than 2,500 years later, change remains constant—and it can be a positive force in …

How to Advance Your Career as a Nurse Assessment Coordinator (NAC) – Part Four: Expert Level

Becoming an expert-level nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of years of experience, continuous learning, and navigating complex clinical, regulatory, and reimbursement challenges with confidence. At this stage, expert NACs are often the go-to leaders in their organizations—trusted for their judgment, relied on for their expertise, …

How to Improve Respect for the NAC Role

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss the self-perception of those working as the role of the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) and how …

Monthly DNS/Medical Director Meeting Template

The Monthly DNS/Medical Director Meeting Template is a practical tool designed to support structured, action-oriented collaboration between the director of nursing services (DNS) and the medical director. This template helps guide focused monthly discussions by prompting review of prior action items, quality metrics and trends, high-risk resident concerns, medication and …

How to Handle Difficult Conversations with Staff: A Leadership Guide

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. One of your nurses struggles with timely, accurate documentation, but you dread talking with her about the situation. She is a valuable team member who shows up promptly and also willingly picks up overtime, but the documentation issues …

How to Advance Your Career as a Director of Nursing Services (DNS) – Part Two: Competent Level

The career path of a director of nursing services (DNS) is both challenging and rewarding. Long-term care nurses who choose to take on the DNS role can have success with the right resources. Part two of this DNS Career Advancement blog series will focus on tips for competent DNSs and …

How to Build Trust With Physicians and Develop a Collaborative Partnership

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, director of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, discuss how directors of nursing services can use communication to build physician trust, as …

Turning Difficult Conversations into Chances for Collaboration

In long-term and post-acute care, communication is everything. Most days, conversations with residents, families, and staff flow smoothly. But every so often, a chat takes a sharp turn, voices rise, tempers flare, or emotions spill over. These moments can be stressful, yet they are also an opportunity to build trust …

Preventing Hospital Readmissions: How Effective Nurse Leaders Can Turn the Tide

Hospital readmissions remain one of the most persistent challenges for long-term post-acute care (LTPAC) facilities. National data shows that roughly 13% to 14% of all hospitalized patients are readmitted within 30 days (Burke et al., 2022). But the rate among nursing home residents can climb significantly to 20% to 25% …