The Bottom Line – Get Paid More!

Gero Nurse Prep dramatically increases gerontological nurse competency scores and positions 96% of RNs to pass the ANCC Board certification exam the first time.

  • Fewer Survey Deficiencies
  • Lower use of off-label antipsychotics
  • Fewer Rehospitalizations
  • Higher CMS 5-Star Ratings

SAVE $100 NOW THRU APRIL 30 by using promo code VBP2019 at time of registration.

 

Dr. Heidi Keeler wants to remind you………

….. that it’s too late to attend the Quality Summit – but not too late to learn more about “COMPETENT GERIATRIC  RNS.”

Find out how Gero Nurse Prep improves geriatric nurse competency by going to geronurseprep.com or emailing  your questions to concne@unmc.edu.

Discount available from now until 4/30/19 – call Tim at 402-559-1990 and ask for details.

 

 

Celebrate Certified Nurses Day!

Certified Nurses DayTM held annually on March 19, honors nurses worldwide who contribute to better patient outcomes through national board certification in their specialty. A registered nurse (RN) license allows nurses to practice. Certification affirms advanced knowledge, skill, and practice to meet the challenges of modern nursing

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers certification in gerontological nursing – the gold standard in demonstrating clinical excellence in geriatric patient care. Less than one percent of RNs have this credentialing, so credentialed RNs help providers stand out in a highly competitive marketplace.

AHCA/NCAL encourages Members to recognize their credentialed RNs on March 19. If your RNs are not yet credentialed, take an important step on your quality journey by watching this video or going to the AHCA/NCAL Gero Nurse Prep Course (GNP) web site to learn more about this terrific course.

Save $100 off each enrollment when the promo code VBP2019 is used at the time of registration between now and 4/30/19.

To find out more about the  Gero Nurse Prep program, email us at  concne@unmc.edu or call 402-559-1990.

Gero Nurse Prep is on sale!

Save $100 off the regular registration fee now through April 30 by using promo code VBP2019 (all caps).  AHCA/NCAL Gero Nurse Prep provides tremendous value at this AHCA/NCAL member $590 sale price.   That’s less than $20 per contact hour for outstanding nursing education that makes a measurable difference on so many fronts.

Three easy ways to learn more about Gero Nurse Prep and ANCC Board certification:

  1. Watch this video to learn more about AHCA/NCAL Gero Nurse Prep and build a strong geriatric nursing team with AHCA/NCAL Gero Nurse Prep.
  2. For an even deeper dive into competent geriatric nursing, watch this free AHCA/NCAL webinar “Improving Clinical Outcomes through Competent Gerontological Nurses.”
  3. Attend the Monday, March 18 AHCA/NCAL Quality Symposium session in Tampa at 1 p.m. titled “Competent Geriatric RNs – The New Driver of Financial Performance.”  The session will feature the latest AHCA/NCAL research showing the impact Board certified RNs have on key quality indicators, survey citations and reimbursement.

Celebrate Careers In Aging Week (CIAW) March 3 – 9

People are living longer and populations are aging worldwide. The demand for professionals with expertise in aging is growing rapidly. Careers in Aging Week (CIAW) is observed during the first full week of March by businesses, clinics, coalitions, organizations, universities, colleges, and other parties across the world. The goal of CIAW is to bring greater awareness and visibility to the wide-ranging career opportunities in the field of aging.

To find out more about how you can get involved, go to https://www.aghe.org/resources/careers-in-aging

 

Competent Geriatric RNs – The New Driver of Financial Performance!

From left to right, Anna Fisher, Heidi Keeler, Angie Szumlinski and David Kyllo.

Please join us at the AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit on Monday March 18th from 1-2:30 for this timely and important topic.

Session Description: Competent RNs drive quality care and outcomes in long term care settings. PDPM and value- based purchasing also means they now control the financial success of a facility. Providers need to sharpen the clinical knowledge and leadership skills of their RNs if they are to succeed in this new environment. This session will discuss how offering specialized training such as the Gero Nurse Prep course prepares RNs for the new challenges and positions them for board certification in gerontological nursing through the American Nurses Credential Center.

Learning Outcomes: 

  1. Describe the key clinical outcomes that improve in facilities with ANCC board certified RNs
  2. Discuss how Gero Nurse Prep and ANCC board certification increase RN confidence and competence in the assessment process and clinical leadership

Explain how ANCC credentialing and board certification in gerontological nursing can strengthen the ability to demonstrate overall clinical competence and improved resident outcomes with surveyors

 

Staff Training and Competency: A Growing Challenge

Among the most difficult challenges facing skilled nursing centers today is ensuring that staff are adequately trained to care for their increasingly frail and medically complex residents. While training requirements are included in the initial phase of the final rule, and much more substantially in Phase 3, training and competency are more than a survey compliance issue.

Providing compassionate person-centered care for frail elders, many with severe cognitive and/or physical disabilities, requires staff to be well trained in understanding and addressing a range of resident needs and behaviors. Basic nursing and nurse assistant training provides a necessary starting point, and “caring” goes a long way, but even the most well-intended of us can benefit from training that builds upon knowledge and practice in eldercare.

Training requirements already included in the new regulations and survey relate to abuse and neglect for all staff, in-service training for nurse assistants on dementia management and abuse prevention, care of those with cognitive impairments, and training of feeding assistants. Training in these areas is essential to prepare staff to better understand the needs of those who are most vulnerable and/or difficult for caretakers to understand.

Phase 3 of the final rule will substantially increase the emphasis on training and competency with requirements relating to communication, resident rights, infection control, compliance, and ethics—especially in regard to person-centered care, behavioral health, and Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement. These specific areas are accompanied by the general training requirement that staff are trained to care for all resident needs identified in the facility assessment.

With competency requirements in these areas a year away (Nov. 28, 2019), nursing centers need to begin designing and implementing a systematic training program today. A combination of training methods is encouraged, including in-person instruction, web-based training, and/or supervised practical training.
Due to the steady evolution in resident care needs and treatment, training is required for both new and existing staff.

For nurse assistants, in-service training of at least 12 hours per year is expected to reflect an assessment of their knowledge and skills and how well they know the resident population. To determine the adequacy of in-service training, providers will be required to demonstrate competencies, not just completion of in-service hours.

Many nursing centers will require investment in training specific to the growing frailty and complexity of the long-stay resident population and the higher acuity of post-acute residents. High staff turnover and shortages of nursing staff with the necessary qualifications to take care of today’s elders will continue to be a challenge. Training programs must therefore be ongoing and sustainable so that they continue and evolve as resident needs change and staff capabilities change.

Balancing these training needs with caring for residents is a daunting task. That said, investments in staff training can make caretaking less challenging and more rewarding for staff members. These not only lead to greater staff satisfaction and retention, but the commitment to excellence will not go unnoticed by residents and families.

For a printable version of this article, go to:

http://www.providermagazine.com/archives/2018_Archives/Pages/1218/Staff-Training-and-Competency-A-Growing-Challenge.aspx

 

Gero Nurse Prep Now on Sale!

Gero Nurse Prep dramatically increases gerontological nurse competency scores and positions 96% of RNs to pass the ANCC Board certification exam on their first try!

Save $100 per RN when you use the promo code REALRN18 (all caps) at the time of  registration. Offer valid through 11/30/18.

Find out more by going to geronurseprep.com or email your questions to concne@unmc.edu.