Influenza: How to Prevent or Minimize Outbreaks

Through Oct. 13, influenza activity remained low across the United States. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects flu outbreaks to increase in the coming months. Avoiding and minimizing flu outbreaks not only protects residents and staff, it protects the facility as well given the laser focus …

SNF Uses AHRQ Toolkit to Boost Residents’ Health Literacy Skills

Patient Safety, Prevention and Care Management August 2018 Occupational therapists (OTs) at Greenwich Woods Rehabilitation and Health Care Center improved their ability to assess and implement health literacy interventions for patients by 36 percent after a 6-week workshop that featured AHRQ’s Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit. The workshop was administered to …

2018 AADNS Annual Conference Takeaways from a DON in Rural Michigan

Attending the annual conference for the American Association of Directors of Nursing Services in National Harbor, MD was nothing but a dream. As a director of nursing in a small rural town like Menominee, MI (pronounced Men-ah-many), I never imagined having the opportunity to be shoulder-to-shoulder with so many experienced, …

Trauma-Informed Care Infographic (7/18)

The CDC is working with SAMHSA’s National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC) to integrate a trauma-informed approach to public health emergencies. The infographic they developed for the approach may be useful in understanding trauma-informed care: https://www.cdc.gov/phpr/infographics/6_principles_trauma_info.htm

Q&A: Do we need to report to ombudsman if a short-term resident was sent out to the hospital for change of condition?

Question: Do we need to report to ombudsman if a short-term resident was sent out to the hospital for change of condition? Answer: No, not unless the change of condition was due to an unusual occurrence. Interested in reading more FAQs? Visit the AADNS Network where you can review questions …

Foot Health and Care – Nursing Assistant In-service Education

Participants will learn to list three factors that contribute to foot problems, describe a corn, callus, plantar wart, plantar fasciitis, bunion, and hammer toe, and discuss good foot care practice. Download now. For permission to use or reproduce this tool in full or in part, please complete a permissions form. 

Q&A: Our facility is non-smoking. A small number of staff have a picnic table approximately 50 yards away from the facility where they are allowed to smoke. Do we still need a smoking policy?

Q: Our facility is non-smoking.  A small number of staff have a picnic table approximately 50 yards away from the facility where they are allowed to smoke. We do not allow smoking within the facility and none of our residents smoke. That said, do we still need a “smoking policy?” …