Long term care – AHCA/NCAL Gero Nurse Prep

Bullying Among Seniors: A Prevention and Surveillance Guide – Updated Resource!

Bullying isn’t limited to the playground. Assisted living communities care for millions of seniors with diverse backgrounds and unique needs and behaviors. Bullying and its adverse effects have received greater focus in recent years, creating a need to have systems and processes in place to prevent bullying among seniors living in long term care.

For this reason, NCAL has updated the Bullying Among Seniors: A Prevention and Surveillance Guide. This guide will help organizations understand:

What bullying is
How to identify bullying
Why bullying might occur
Victim risk factors
How to create a positive environment
How to respond to incidents of bullying

Upcoming AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo Offers Education on Key Topics That Matter Most to You

Education takes center stage at the 72nd AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo with over 85 education sessions to choose from in 16 tracks of learning. You can earn up to 15.5 CEs. Hot topics include trauma-informed care, rebuilding census, infection control and prevention, workforce, reimbursement, and much more. Register by September 24 and save.

Convention & Expo Brings You Key Education to Help You Tackle Your Toughest Challenges!

The 72nd AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo, taking place from October 10-13 at the National Harbor outside Washington, DC, offers more than 5 education sessions in 16 tracks of learning.

Earn up to 15.5 CEs.

Key topics include:

Rebuilding the Census
Workforce and Leadership
Infection Control and Prevention
Survey and Regulatory Compliance
Reimbursement
Quality Improvement
Technology and Innovation

Additional education tracks include Clinical Care Practice, Person-Centered Care, Post-Acute Care, Behavioral Health, Rehabilitation Therapy, Assisted Living, and much more.

Spend time networking with colleagues, share ideas and experiences, and gain fresh perspectives and strategies. The Convention & Expo is a unique four-day gathering that you don’t want to miss.

Register today and save $100.

Early Bird Deadline: July 26

It’s All About the Outcomes!

And SNF RNs Trained in Gerontological Nursing Get Better Patient Outcomes!

Research conducted by AHCA/NCAL in 2019 shows that SNFs that employ at least one American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Board certified RN experienced:

- Higher average SNF VBP Performance Scores (44.2 versus 34.4 national average)
- Fewer survey deficiencies
- Fewer IJ citations
- Lower rehospitalization rates
- Lower rates of off-label use of antipsychotics
- Higher CMS 5-Star ratings

The ANCC offers certification in gerontological nursing – the gold standard in demonstrating clinical excellence in geriatric patient care. ANCC is the world’s largest and most prestigious nurse credentialing organization and a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association. Less than one percent of America’s RNs are board certified in gerontological nursing.

To help RNs prepare for the certification exam, AHCA/NCAL offers an online course developed and managed by UNMC’s College of Nursing called Gero Nurse Prep. RNs who complete the course earn 30 nursing contact hours and experience a 96% pass rate on the ANCC certification exam on the first try. Gero Nurse Prep students see a whopping 24 percent average increase between their pre- and post-test scores.

Gero Nurse Prep is flexible. RNs study online at their own pace and have one year from the time they enroll to complete their Gero Nurse Prep coursework.

To learn more about Gero Nurse Prep and ANCC Board certification, watch this video. For an even deeper dive into competent geriatric nursing, listen to this free AHCA/NCAL webinar “Competent Geriatric RNs – The New Driver of Financial Performance.”

Gero Nurse Prep – The Affordable Pathway to Advanced Gerontological Nursing Knowledge

Gero Nurse Prep is on sale through November 15! Save $100 off the regular registration fee by using promo code GETGNP20 (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. For RNs interested in pursuing Board certification through ANCC, there is an additional and separate cost of $395. Learn more by going to https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Gero-Nurse-Prep-is-the-Affordable-Pathway-for-RNs-Looking-to-Advance-Their-Gerontological-Nursing-Knowledge-&-Careers-.aspx

RNs – Advance Your Gerontological Nursing Knowledge With Gero Nurse Prep and Save $100.

It’s National Assisted Living Week

Established by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995, National Assisted Living Week® provides a unique opportunity for residents, their loved ones, staff, volunteers, and the surrounding communities to recognize the role of assisted living in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. The annual observance encourages assisted living communities around the country to offer a variety of events and activities to celebrate the individuals they serve, as well as to help educate members of the public about this distinctive aspect of long term care.

Find out more by going to https://www.ahcancal.org/Education-Events/Pages/NALW.aspx

LTC Facilities Should Strictly Adhere To CDC’s COVID-19 Guidelines As Much As Feasible

Post Pandemic Litigation For Skilled Care And Assisted Living Facilities has already begun. Find out what facilities should do to protect themselves.

http://www.providermagazine.com/columns/Pages/2020/-Post-Pandemic-Litigation-For-Skilled-Care-And-Assisted-Living-Facilities.aspx

High local COVID-19 rates put nursing homes at risk.

High county case rates and larger facility size are tied to COVID-19 outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities, according to a study from a leading operator.

Investigators from Genesis HealthCare, Brown University and Florida Atlantic University reviewed county, state and facility data from late April and early May. The study sample included 341 Genesis skilled nursing facilities in 25 states, along with more than 3,000 non-Genesis operators. Among Genesis facilities, 64 had implemented universal testing of all residents.

Researchers analyzed facility outbreaks, and (in the Genesis facilities only) the number of confirmed cases, fatalities and the effect of universal testing on case counts.

They found that higher facility bed count and COVID-19 prevalence in the surrounding county were the “most significant and consistent” predictors of large outbreaks and mortality rates among residents. In contrast, there was no consistent link between the likelihood of an outbreak and an operation’s Five-Star Quality Rating or infection control citations.

The results confirm the need for diagnostic testing access in high-risk areas, the investigators said. Federal resources should be allocated to locations where testing capacity remains limited, they added.

https://bit.ly/32LaNGw

RAFT Model Cuts Emergency Department Transfers in SNF Population

Researchers say the Reducing Avoidable Facility Transfers (RAFT) model was shown to “substantially” decrease emergency department (ED) trips from three skilled nursing facilities. Moreover, the SNFs “also recorded a reduction in some acute health care utilization.” The model aims “to bring closer monitoring of a resident’s care plan and more expert clinical evaluations in order to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations for those in long term and post-acute care.”

Find out more at http://www.providermagazine.com/news/Pages/2019/0819/RAFT-Model-Cuts-Emergency-Department-Transfers-in-SNF-Population.aspx