Nursing Leadership and Management Resources
AAPACN’s nursing leadership and management resources include articles, tips, and tools to help DONs/DNSs and other facility leaders fill the gap between clinical nursing and the regulatory and business knowledge needed for success. AAPACN helps you ensure survey readiness, improve QMs and 5-Star results, and strengthen your facility’s bottom line.
- Free Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition Events in May – JuneNursing Home Cost Reporting 101 with Betsy Rust MAY 10, 2023 @ 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Nursing home cost reports offer a ton of information to advance quality improvement. Learn how to read and …
- Study: Reducing Fatigue and Errors Among Nurses Working Night ShiftsShort exposure to bright light could help shift workers generally combat fatigue 21-Apr-2023 7:45 PM EDT, by McGill University Newswise — Nurses exposed to 40 minutes of bright light before their night shifts feel less fatigued and …
- Proposed CoreQ: Short Stay Discharge Survey Measure Survey Protocols and Guidelines ManualCoreQ: Short Stay Discharge Survey CoreQ Short Stay Discharge Survey Protocols and Guidelines Manual and additional resources CMS-10852 (ZIP) From https://www.cms.gov/regulations-and-guidance/legislation/paperworkreductionactof1995/pra-listing/cms-10852
- Pennsylvania AG Charges Two Nurses With Neglect for Not Following Facility Protocol Following Resident Fall and DeathHARRISBURG—Attorney General Michelle Henry today announced charges against two nurses who neglected their duty to care for a resident who died after sustaining injuries at a Spring Creek Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Dauphin County. …
- Fiscal Management and Budget Efficiency During Lean TimesWhen a skilled nursing facility (SNF) is operating on a tight budget, while also being census- and staff-challenged, the director of nursing services (DNS) needs to be more directly and proactively involved in fiscal management …
- Achieving Strong Resident Quality of Life Starts With Better Staff ManagementQuality of life is a “fundamental principle” that feeds into—and flows from—all resident care and services, according to 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §483.24. The F-tag 675 surveyor guidance in Appendix PP of the …
- Q&A: Can I still register for the AAPACN 2023 Conference?Question: Can I still register for the AAPACN 2023 Conference? Answer from AAPACN: Absolutely! Registration is open and available on the AAPACN conference webpage until April 10, 2023. This page also includes information regarding the …
- Prepare for a Conversation with Leadership Using SBARNurse assessment coordinators (NACs) work in a unique role. They have the responsibility of managing the MDS but are often not in supervisory position over the interdisciplinary team members that complete portions of the MDS. …
- CMS Booklet for Medicare Beneficiaries: Medicare and Skilled Nursing Facility Care Benefits: Getting StartedUpdated for 2023. It includes a SNF Checklist for potential admissions and families to use to assess each SNF. Medicare and Skilled Nursing Facility Care Benefits: Getting Started
- Nursing Staff Conflicts: Gracefully Resolve Issues With These Mindset ShiftsInteractions Among Staff (i.e., the extent to which staff are rude to, or bully, other staff) is one of six workplace safety composite measures derived from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) new …
- IHI: Organizational Trustworthiness in Health CareRegistration to obtain this is free: Bolender T, DeSmidt B, Feske-Kirby K, Imbeah K, Sampath B. Organizational Trustiworthiness in Health Care. Boston: Institute for Healthcare Improvement; 2022. (Available at www.ihi.org) Trust between patients and clinicians, …
- Staff Retention: Check-Ins with New EmployeesNurse leaders make a tremendous difference in whether certified nurse aides (CNAs) and nurses decide to stay or leave the job, especially in the first 90 days of employment. One of the key ways the …
- Retaining Talent: Check-In with New Employee TemplateWhen new employees see their leader is invested in their success, including proficiency in their job performance as well as becoming a part of team, the odds of retaining the employee increase dramatically. AAPACN’s Retaining …
- How to Lead the Team When Everyone is TiredWith a long-lasting pandemic, staff shortages, increased federal reporting requirements, and survey changes in 2022, and new MDS changes in the year to come, one thing is certain—everyone is tired. Amid all this, the director …
- Facilitators Guide For the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Method From QIO Telligen QI ConnectResource outlining the process for conducting an RCA. Access the resource here.
- Vision is the First Step Forward for Effective ChangeBy Cody Campbell and AAPACN Leadership pioneer and scholar, Warren Bennis once said, “Leadership is the capacity to translate a vision into reality.” This quote inspires in moments of stress and anxiety related to work, …
- JAMA Network Open Study: Association of Staffing Instability With Quality of Nursing Home CareMeaning “This study suggests that day-to-day staffing instability is an important marker of nursing home quality, limiting measurement, reporting, or policy to average hours per resident-day likely will miss important opportunities to improve care.” https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2800160
- How to Address Nurse Incivility in the WorkplaceIn this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, and Alexis Roam, MSN, RN-BC, QCP-MT, DNS-MT, AAPACN curriculum development specialist, discuss nurse incivility and …
- AHRQ Nursing Home Staff 5-Minute Learning Modules in Spanish, Tagalog, and Haitian CreoleAHRQ has released translations in Spanish, Haitian Creole and Tagalog of learning modules that nursing home staff can watch at their own pace to learn about COVID-19 prevention and how to support residents’ and staff emotional health. Each of the …
- COVID-19 in Nursing Homes: GAO ReportOutbreak Duration Averaged 4 Weeks and Was Strongly Associated with Community Spread Highlights Page (1 page) Full Report (70 pages) What GAO Found GAO analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …
- Staff Retention: The Power of Purpose and Meaningful WorkWhen the pandemic pummeled the nursing home workforce, nursing homes lost more jobs than any other healthcare setting. This loss compounded the staffing shortage facilities were already confronting, leaving many facility leaders physically and emotionally …
- Being a Fiscally Savvy DNSIn this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, AAPACN curriculum development specialist, discuss what it …
- Institute for Healthcare Improvement Age-Friendly Health Systems: Guide to Care of Older Adults in Nursing Homes (10/22)The Age-Friendly Health Systems: Guide to Care of Older Adults in Nursing Homes and the Age-Friendly Health Systems: A Workbook for Nursing Home Teams are designed to be used simultaneously to help care teams in …
- AHRQ: Just Culture Resources (10/22)Two journal articles involving just culture: Rooting an error review process in just culture: lessons learned.Neiswender K, Figueroa-Altmann A, Granahan K, et al. Patient Safety. 2022;4(3):34-38. Fatal Solutions: How a Healthcare System Used Tragedy to Transform Itself …
- HHS ASPE: Nursing Home Staffing and the COVID-19 Pandemic (10/22)It is well known that in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States much of the devastation was concentrated in nursing homes. In addition to the staggering death toll, isolation and …
- 4 Tips for Surviving the Mental Load of the NAC’s JobThe nurse assessment coordinator’s (NAC’s) job is mentally taxing. There is so much to keep track of—assessment reference dates, when to complete an interim payment assessment, how the case-mix adjusted components impact the Patient-Driven Payment …
- Nurse Leader Fundamentals: An OverviewIn this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss AAPACN’s …
- Burnout: How Can Nurse Leadership Help?By Melanie Tribe-Scott, BSN, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, QCP The U.S. Surgeon General recently issued an advisory highlighting the urgent need to address the health worker burnout crisis across the country (Office of the U.S. Surgeon …
- 10 Tips to Feel More Confident as a New Nurse Assessment CoordinatorStarting out as a new nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) can be overwhelming. There’s so much to keep track of—from ensuring MDS assessments are in place to understanding all the components of the Patient-Driven Payment Model …
- Time to Review Those 2022 Goals: Will They Be Met?Long-term care has seen many changes this year; new vaccination regulations, the removal of some COVID-19 waivers, and, of course, ongoing changes related to COVID-19 have all required frequent adaptation. In this context, nurse leaders …
- How—and Why—to Maximize Your Staff’s Communication SkillsThis Oct. 24, surveyors will begin enforcing mandatory communication training requirements to ensure that direct-care staff can communicate effectively with residents under F-tag F941 (Communication Training) in Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual, according …
- Appendix PP Revisions in the State Operations Manual: Breaking Down Key ChangesOn June 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a major update to surveyor guidance via Quality, Safety and Oversight (QSO) memo QSO-22-19-NH to strengthen the implementation of the already-in-effect Phases 2 …
- Nurse Leader Fundamentals: An OverviewWhen I was an assistant director of nursing, I accepted a promotion and became the director of nursing services (DNS). I had been a nurse manager for a few years and thought I was prepared …
- Educational Planning Starts—but Doesn’t Stop—With the Facility AssessmentUsing the facility assessment to create an educational planning table seems pretty simple, but effective educational planning requires a more comprehensive, ongoing approach that addresses both competencies and global training needs identified from multiple sources. …
- CMS Memos QSO-22-17-ALL and QSO-22-18-ALL: Surveys for Compliance With COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Requirements, plus Surveyor Vaccination Requirements (6/22)Memo # QSO-22-17-ALL Surveys for compliance with Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care StaffVaccination Requirements Posting Date 2022-06-14 Fiscal Year 2022 Summary • Survey oversight of the staff vaccination requirement for Medicare and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers …
- Learning Timeline for AAPACN Education and ResourcesAre you considering advancing your career and looking to gain knowledge to be successful in your next role? Or are you already in the position you love but looking to improve your knowledge for additional …
- Work-Life Balance for the Director of Nursing ServicesThe vital role of director of nursing services (DNS) in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) comes with so many demands. DNSs are often—or always—on call for questions regarding changes in resident conditions; they often fill in …
- AHRQ Learning Module for Supporting Nursing Home Residents’ Emotional Health (5/22)AHRQ has released a new module to help frontline nursing home staff support their residents’ emotional health. The video module is designed to be self-paced and provides guidance on how staff can identify signs of …
- Becoming a Fiscally Savvy DNS – Part 2: Budget, Revenue, and Five-Star RatingsWhen one considers financial management, thoughts usually go to managing expenses first, which part one of this series discussed. However, managing revenue, Five-Star ratings, and the budgeting process are equally important to keeping the nursing department and …
- AHRQ 5-Minute Learning Modules for Frontline Staff: Staff Support, Resident Support, Leadership, Post-Vaccination Practice, COVID-19 Identification and Prevention, Vaccination and Testing (5/22)These brief videos offer self-paced learning for those on the front lines of nursing home care. This includes nursing assistants, housekeeping, dietary, and maintenance staff, and others. Emotional and Organizational Support for Staff series This …
- Becoming a Fiscally Savvy DNS – Part 1: ExpensesWhen I was in my first DNS role, I remember looking at the budget that the administrator put in front of me and thinking it looked like a foreign language. I told the administrator, “I …
- NETEC Podcast and Resources: Staff Resiliency in Long Term Care (5/22)Dr. Natalie Manley, assistant professor in the Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology and Palliative Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, joins NETEC’s Dr. Vanessa Raabe to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on …
- The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality Report (4/22)Nursing homes play a unique dual role in the long-term care continuum, serving as a place where people receive needed health care and a place they call home. Ineffective responses to the complex challenges of …
- Retain Nursing Home Staff with Stay Interviews and an Action PlanSince the start of the pandemic, the healthcare system has experienced significant job losses, but in recent months, all sectors have slowly begun to recover—except for nursing homes and assisted living communities (AHCA, 2021). Despite …
- Stay Interview Template and Action PlanA stay interview is a conversation between the manager and employee to learn why the employee continues to choose the company as their place of employment—what keeps them coming back every day. Moreover, it’s an …
- AHRQ Nursing Home Guide for COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Programs (4/22)AHRQ has created a guide for nursing home leaders as they implement COVID-19 vaccination programs among staff members. The resource identifies important factors to consider from planning to implementation, including guidance on updating policies and …
- AHRQ COVID-19 Resources Target Infection Prevention and Emotional Well-Being for Both Staff and Residents (3/22)Three new online resources from AHRQ are available to help nursing homes adopt best practices aimed at controlling and preventing infection and improving the emotional well-being of staff and residents: Best Practices Guide for COVID-19 Infection Control …
- CNA Longevity Part 2: Money Isn’t a Cure-All—Management Style MattersEditor’s note: In this two-part series, this article covers management techniques that can help directors of nursing services (DNSs) and other members of the administrative team improve long-term certified nursing assistant (CNA) retention. The first …
- How Comfort Theory Can Help Ease Burnout and Improve Well-Being in Nursing Home StaffBy Faith Carini-Graves, Director of Skill Development, MDS Consultants The problem: What does an MDS coordinator, DON, CNA, therapist, nursing home administrator, RN, LPN, activities professional, social worker, and dietitian all have in common? They …
- Crisis Mode: RAI Process Survival Checklist toolSevere staffing shortages have led to nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) working the floor and not having the time to dedicate to the MDS and RAI process. When the facility is in a staffing crisis mode, …
- NACs Working the Floor: Tips to Keep the RAI Process AfloatThe COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) has upended many systems in nursing homes, including the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) process. Nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) working the floor should be a last resort—even in a PHE—because …
- Surveying for the New Staff Vaccination Rule – Long Term Care CMS Training Course (1/22)51 minute course plus training slides with notes Surveying for the New Staff Vaccination Rule – Long Term Care (LTC) – Training Menu https://qsep.cms.gov/pubs/CourseMenu.aspx?cid=0CMSSVAX_LTC or https://qsep.cms.gov/ Training Description This course provides an overview of the …
- Study: Staff Assumptions About Race Affect Care Variability for Residents With Advanced Dementia (1/22)Remedies include addressing staff biases, increasing funding for facilities, standardizing advance-care planning, and educating staff and families about evidence-based care and shared decision making BOSTON – A new study published on January 24, 2022, in …
- High Levels of Agency Staff? Try These Five Steps for Team-BuildingTeamwork is essential to providing high quality of care and quality of life to nursing home residents. However, it can be hard to establish between agency staff and permanent staff, points out Amy Franklin, RN, …
- Turnover and Retention of the Director of Nursing Services (DNS) PositionCauses and Contributing Factors of DNS Turnover The 2021 AAPACN survey found that 37% of DNS respondents changed their job in the last 12 months, and 40% intend to change their job within the next …
- How to Utilize Your Staff to Mentor and Fill Gaps in the MDS DepartmentIn this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN is joined by AAPACN Master Teacher and Board Member, Maureen McCarthy, RN, BS RAC-MT, QCP-MT, …
- Stretch and SMART Goal Setting Worksheet ToolGoal setting for personal, professional, and organizational growth is a proven tactic to help individuals and teams achieve higher performance. Nurse leaders can use this worksheet to help their team or themselves develop a stretch …
- Preventing and Detecting Drug Diversions: Quick Tips for SuccessRoughly 30 percent of the United States’ total drug abuse problem can be linked to prescription drugs, says Angie Szumlinski, LNHA, RN-BC, RAC-CT, BS, director of risk management for HealthCap/QA Reader in Ann Arbor, MI. …
- Achieving Personal and Professional GoalsIt’s the New Year, and that means it’s time to set goals. These are often lofty aspirations to achieve amazing feats, like transforming into a sleek powerhouse of muscle reflecting the epitome of health. However, …
- Motivating CNAs – Nursing In-service EducationParticipants will learn to understand the definition of motivation and recognize leadership behaviors that facilitate intrinsic motivation. Download now. For permission to use or reproduce this tool in full or in part, please complete a permissions form.
- Get Agency Staff up to Speed on Emergency Preparedness and SafetyF-tag 689 (Free of Accident Hazards/Supervision/Devices) was the second most frequently cited at the immediate jeopardy (IJ) level during fiscal year (FY) 2021, according to the Citation and Frequency Report from QCOR (Quality, Certification, and …
- Staffing the DNS Role Turnover, Retention, and DevelopmentThe purpose of this report is to provide skilled nursing facility (SNF) operators with insights into the factors that may contribute to turnover of directors of nursing services (DNSs), as well as challenges related to …
- Family Arguments and Grievances: How to Dial down the TensionFamily arguments and grievances can have a negative impact on residents and families if nursing homes don’t employ an organized approach to setting expectations and communicating with families. The following steps can help directors of …
- 5-Minute Learning Modules for Frontline Staff: Emotional and Organizational Support (12/21)These brief videos offer self-paced learning for those on the front lines of nursing home care. This includes nursing assistants, housekeeping, dietary, and maintenance staff, and others. Emotional and Organizational Support for Staff Series This …
- How Does Your Daily Stand-Up Meeting Measure Up?Almost every facility has a daily “stand-up” meeting for its management team. When done well, this meeting can be a font of information for everyone involved. However, without structure and focus, it can become cumbersome. …
- TIP: New Resource to Improve Healthcare SafetyLucian Leap just released a new book called Making Healthcare Safe. This free, downloadable book discusses ways a skilled nursing facility can implement a culture of safety by changing processes, working conditions, and communication in …
- Morning Stand-Up Meeting Minutes ToolMorning stand-up is meant to be a brief meeting (15 minutes or less) to exchange information that affects the operations of multiple departments on that given day. The information exchanged should be shared with the …
- Book: Making Healthcare Safe (10/21)Electronic access (PDF) to this book is free with IHI membership (also free). Leape LL. Making Healthcare Safe. Springer; 2021. Written by Lucian Leape, a pioneer of the patient safety movement, this book describes how patient safety became …
- Section GG Web-based Training Module UPDATED (10/21)The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering an updated web-based training series on the assessment and coding of Section GG. This training is intended for providers in the following post-acute care (PAC) settings: Home Health Agencies (HHAs), …
- TIP: Learning Timeline for AAPACN Education and ResourcesAre you considering advancing your career and looking to gain knowledge to be successful in your next role? Or are you already in the position you love but looking to improve your knowledge for additional …
- Study: LGBTQ+ Adults in Long-term Care and the Invisibility Problem (8/21)For Older LGBTQ+ Adults, Entering a Nursing Home Can Feel Like Coming out All Over Again New study by Rush researchers calls for a change in practices in long-term care settings 4-Aug-2021 Newswise — As …
- Conflict Resolution: Achieving the Win-WinConflict is a daily reality, yet many of us do our best to avoid it, dreading the time when we will have to navigate interpersonal disputes. Many nurse leaders are similarly uncomfortable with or do …
- HHS $103 Million Investment, Including Grants, to Reduce Healthcare Worker Burnout / Improve Mental Health (7/21)FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 16, 2021 Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced the availability of an estimated $103 million in American Rescue Plan …
- CMS Online Training Courses: (1) Improving LGBTQ Health Care Quality and (2) Achieving Health Equity (7/21)Improving Health Care Quality for LGBTQ People (Contact Hours 70 min.) Learn to identify sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) terminology to build trust with LGBTQ patients and recognize health disparities that impact many older LGBTQ adults. …
- Mental Health and Well-Being During and After COVID-19: IHI Online Course (6/21)A short, free IHI Open School online course offers practical ways for individual health care workers and team leaders to promote health, well-being, and connections every day. Login or register and then browse the catalog …
- AHRQ Guide for Building COVID-19 Vaccine Trust and Increasing Vaccination Rates Among CNAs (5/21)Invest in Trust: A Guide for Building COVID-19 Vaccine Trust Among Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) is designed to help nursing home leaders build COVID-19 vaccine confidence among CNAs and overcome barriers to vaccination by applying insights …
- Cultural Competence Resources (5/21)Disparities & Culturally Competent Care: Fostering Cultural Competence This section includes a collection of assessment tools, educational and learning materials, research articles and resources that are curated to help medical professionals and institutions provide culturally …
- Reduce Turnover and Increase Staff Retention with Employee First Culture“Across the country, the high rate of turnover in long-term care is a serious workforce problem,” says Dr. Linda Shell, DNP, MA, BSN, DNS-CT, Chief Learning Officer, LindaShell.com. “The cost associated with this turnover—the organizational …
- AAPACN Onboarding Essentials: Welcoming Staff to Promote Retention ToolRetaining a talented workforce is a top priority; to achieve this goal, leaders must create a welcoming onboarding experience. This toolkit presents education for department managers and administration as well as tools leaders can use …
- New NAC: Five Tips for Successful OrientationOne year. When asked how long it takes a new nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) to fully learn the job, I say at least one year. The nuances of the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) and Minimum …
- 10-Week Nurse Assessment Coordinator Orientation Guide ToolOrientation for a new nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) is a very complex and long process. It is important to establish a realistic schedule that will allow for effective learning but will not be overwhelming. AAPACN’s …
- Why Nurses Eat Their Young and How to Stop This Damaging PracticeThere is a phenomenon of hostility among nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs), commonly referred to as “nurses eating their young.” This incivility is pervasive, often seen as a rite of passage, and directed at …
- Center for Medicare Advocacy Offers Nursing Home COVID-19 Lessons Learned and Policy Recommendations (2/21)The Center for Medicare Advocacy released a new report – Geography Is Not Destiny: Protecting Nursing Home Residents from the Next Pandemic – which explores facilities’ responses to the coronavirus crisis and examines how residents’ deaths were …
- How to Thrive as a New Director of Nursing ServicesAccepting a new position as the director of nursing services (DNS) often begins with excitement for the new challenges and many opportunities to make a positive difference. However, in the first few days and weeks, …
- Effective Communication: Get the Nursing Team on the Right TrackEffective Communication: Get the Nursing Team on the Right Track Establishing strong, open communication in the nursing department has always been a challenge, says Suzy Harvey, RN-BC, RAC-CT, director of clinical specialty services for Foster …
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Retention Tip Sheet ToolLeadership significantly affects CNA retention. To improve your facility’s CNA retention, as a leader, use the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Retention Tip Sheet that outlines the five leadership principles and 10 actions to help leaders …
- Workplace Fit: How to Interview a Facility Where You Are Considering WorkingBy Jessica Kunkler, MA When interviewing for a new position, don’t forget that an interview is a two-sided exchange. “Not only is the facility interviewing you to determine if you’re a good fit for them, but …
- Q&A: Where can I find information on how to combat burnout?Question: Where can I find information on how to combat burnout? Answer: AAPACN’s Wellness for LTPAC Professionals webpage has many resources to combat burnout and cultivate resiliency and gives tips for maintaining general wellness for …
- CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit for SNFs/NFs (1/21)Long-Term Care Facility Toolkit: Preparing for COVID-19 Vaccination at Your Facility Answering Common Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines This toolkit provides long-term care facility (LTCF) administrators and clinical leadership with information and resources to help build …
- Tips for the New Director of Nursing Services (DNS)In this podcast, AADNS curriculum development specialist, Alexis Roam, MSN, RN-BC, DNS-CT, QCP, shares some insights and tips for new directors of nursing services (DNSs).
- Preparing for the HolidaysOnce again, the holiday season is upon us. However, due to the pandemic, the way people celebrate will be different this year. Holiday traditions that normally call for large gatherings of people—such as family dinners, …
- Employee File Audit SheetAll long-term care facilities must compile and maintain a personnel file and a medical file for each employee. AAPACN’s Employee File Audit Sheet is intended to assist facility leaders in their review of the employee …
- Q&A: Where can I find ideas to use at my facility to improve staff resiliency?Question: Where can I find ideas to use at my facility to improve staff resiliency? Answer: 2020 has reminded all of us that resiliency, inspiration, and self-care are critical components of making it through …
- The Documentation Toolkit: What It is and Why DNSs Need It NowNurses have often heard “if it wasn’t documented, it wasn’t done,” but they still struggle to consistently capture documentation that is timely, accurate, and comprehensive. This struggle sometimes emerges when underlying system failures go unaddressed …
- PPE: How to Improve Facility Competency and CompliancePersonal protective equipment (PPE) is currently a topic of discussion on a global level. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought infection control procedures and the use of PPE under intense scrutiny, especially in long-term care. On …
- Guide to a Successful Meeting ToolMeetings are a normal and necessary part of daily operations, but it is important to spend the time wisely so that the meeting achieves its intended purpose. AAPACN’s Guide to a Successful Meeting tool will …
- Q&A: Is overseeing the Therapy department within the scope of the DNS position?Question: I am a relatively new DNS and my job description includes overseeing the Therapy Department. Is this within my scope? Answer: In most SNFs, the therapy department usually has its own director/manager, with ultimate oversight …
- 3 Simple Ways Nurse Assessment Coordinators (NACs) Can Help Support Staff RetentionBy 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 …
- Developing a Restful Environment Action Manual (DREAM) Toolkit From CMS (2/20)Developing a Restful Environment Action Manual (DREAM) Toolkit As many as 70% of adults with dementia experience sleep disturbances, which are associated with various negative health outcomes. High quality sleep is necessary for optimal cognitive …
- 4 Simple Ways to Support Staff RetentionBy Jessica Kunkler, MA One in four nursing assistants and one in five home health aides report that they are actively looking for another job. That’s a lot of unhappy employees. This turnover comes at a …