Be In the Know!

Did you hear about the study released by the UNC Institute on Aging?  It identified three programs being introduced to nursing homes in North Carolina in hopes of improving client care and reducing the number of sub-standard fines and sanctions placed against the state’s nursing homes.

The study was led by Thomas R. Konrad, PhD, a research professor of health policy and management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, and a senior scientist at the Institute on Aging.  Here’s what he had to say:  “The study shows North Carolina’s unique partnerships between the state, the university and nursing homes are effectively leveraging federal funds to improve the lives of those who live in, as well as those who work in, nursing homes,”

Konrad’s study was conducted in North Carolina nursing homes between 2004 and 2007.  What’s interesting is that it was funded by civil monetary penalties – funds collected from nursing homes for deficiencies in care.  The goal was to improve client care by redistributing the penalty funds back into the same nursing homes in the form of three initiatives:

1. The Win a Step Up program focused on the nursing assistants by upgrading their knowledge and skills, increasing their job commitment and providing rewards and recognition for a job well done.
2. Quality Improvement Collaboratives, in which groups of nursing homes worked together with the statewide Quality Improvement Organization to improve specific quality care measures, such as reducing pressure sores, reducing resident falls or limiting the use of restraints.
3. Culture Change Initiatives was designed to assist nursing homes with changing their structures or routines to make their environments more “homelike.”  This initiative fell in line with goals that all nursing homes have recently made a priority.

The study found that the participating nursing saw a number of improvements, including:

• Facilities using the Win a Step Up saw a decrease in pressure sores among their residents, and experienced a drop in employee turnover when compared to the previous year.  As you know, having continuity with your staff will go a long way in making sure your facility runs at its full potential.
• Nursing homes participating in the Quality Improvement Collaboratives saw a significant reduction in incontinence and a decrease in the use of restraints.  Most significantly, resident falls were almost cut in half after the study.
• Facilities using the Culture Change Initiatives also saw a reduction in the use of restraints, as safer and more comfortable alternatives were taught and implemented.  In addition, resident satisfaction increased dramatically, especially relating to resident independence and quality of life.

At In the Know, we applaud the idea of putting penalty funds back into nursing homes-especially when the focus is to increase the knowledge base of nursing assistants.  As we always say, when people learn more, they achieve more!

Till next time,

Evan

As the “baby boomer” population in the United States ages, the need for additional nurse aides is something that cannot be ignored.  The Census Bureau projects that by 2030 there will be over 70 million Americans aged 65 and older, more that twice their number in 1995.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the overall number of nurse aide jobs is projected to grow an additional 36% — from 2.1 million to 2.9 million jobs.

Further, experts project there will be a demand for nearly 1 million more of these workers in the next decade, and perhaps a total of 3 million more by 2030 — when all surviving members of the 78-million-strong boomer generation are older than 65.  Attracting and retaining quality nurse aides will become an even greater focus for most healthcare organizations. One way you can do that is via a high-caliber continuing education program that helps your CNAs prepare for the demands of their jobs.

The consequences of ill-trained and overburdened nurse aides can be costly and painful to a healthcare organization.  A quality education program, attracts, retains and empowers your nurse aides to put their best foot forward everyday.  After all, knowledge is power!  And, the more your CNAs know, the more they can achieve.

The numbers are dramatic.  An older population means more people with health and personal care needs and greater use of health and long-term care services.  Are your nurse aides ready?  How is your organization preparing for the aging baby boomers?  We would love to hear from you!  Any tips or suggestions are highly encouraged and much appreciated!

Please add your comments to this blog or simply email me at mariaeaston@knowingmore.com.  Thanks!

Give your CNAs a "thumbs up"!

There is nothing more uplifting for a CNA (or any employee for that matter) than when they are recognized for a job well done.  Many employees feel that their boss is quick to point out any deficiency or mistake, but feel that getting positive reinforcement is difficult and infrequent.  If your nursing assistants are deserving of recognition, here are a few ways to show them that you appreciate it…without spending a dime!

1. Send them a handwritten note. A CEO of a Fortune 500 company frequently handwrites “thank you” notes on $2 bills.  In more than 3 years of doing this, only one employee has asked if the bill could be spent.  This tells us that instead of spending the $2, the employees prefer to keep it as a positive memento
2. Share the love. Ask each employee to write something down about an exemplary aide who has earned their respect and admiration.  Put all of their comments into a small picture frame and give it to the aide.
3. Up-front parking. Create a sign for the best parking space at your office or facility.  The sign should read: “Employee of the Month,” or something similar.  Make the right to this parking space competitive, and you won’t believe what lengths your aides will go to in order to win the competition, and the parking space.
4. TGIF. Allow a deserving CNA to take off early on a Friday afternoon.  This may not be possible due to client care responsibilities, but if you feel that you can get along without the aide for the afternoon, offer him or her the rest of the day off.  Naturally, you’ll want to treat these few hours off as time “on the clock” as a reward for this employee.
5. Well days. Many people can relate to this:  You need a day off.  You may have something really important to do, or you may not.  So you decide to call in “sick.”  Most of the time this makes you feel guilty about missing work, right? Reward a job well done by allowing your employees to earn “well days.”  These are days off when an employee can do whatever they need or want to do, but does not have to fib about feeling ill.
6. Rank and Title. It may or may not come with a raise in pay, but if outstanding aides continue to show that they are responsible and accountable, offer to add “Senior” or “Shift Leader” to their title.  It is amazing how much pride your new leaders will take in this small gesture.
7. Go public. Create and distribute a company-wide newsletter detailing an employee’s exemplary performance.  This will honor that particular nursing assistant, while creating motivation for the rest of your staff.A quick “thank you.”  The most cost effective way of acknowledging hardworking employees is to simply thank them…and it only takes a second.  Everyone appreciates being appreciated.

If one or more of these rewarding gestures appeals to you, give them a try with your staff.  Then, come back to this blog and let everyone know what the response was to your show of appreciation.  We would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading,

Evan

Evan Leekley

evanleekley@knowingmore.com

Check out this information from the Eldercare Workforce Alliance:

By 2030, one in five Americans will be age 65 or older, 75% of whom will have one or more chronic conditions. Many older adults and those with chronic diseases do not receive the care they need because of an inadequately trained healthcare workforce, clinician and faculty shortages, and poor working conditions for direct-care workers (such as nursing assistants, home health aides and personal care aides).

6. Provide training and support for direct-care workers and family caregivers.

If you would like to support the above health reform measures, please click here to visit the Eldercare Workforce Alliance and LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

You can call or email your Representatives and Senators so they know how you feel about better education, pay and working conditions for direct-care workers.

All of us at In the Know will be making our calls and sending our emails, too!

Best wishes,

Linda

Linda Leekley BS, RN
In the Know, Inc.

By now, you have probably heard about the terrible tragedy that occurred on Sunday, March 29th, at a nursing home in North Carolina. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people at Pinelake Health & Rehab and the family members of those who died. It appears that this horrible incident, which took the lives of seven residents and one nurse, is a case of domestic violence.

Because this is such an important issue, we are providing you with a link from which you may download a Domestic Violence Fact Sheet. This one page (double-sided) document covers some basic information about domestic violence–and how it can spill over into the workplace. Please feel free to make as many copies as you need for distribution to your staff.

If your nursing assistants would like more information about domestic violence, please call us at 877.809.5515. We will forward our entire “Understanding Domestic Violence” inservice to you, free of charge. We do this in an effort to spread the word about domestic abuse, in the hope that a similar tragedy never happens again.

Sincerely,
The Team at In the Know