Category: AHCA/NCAL

NCAL’s 2018 Nurse of the Year Credits Gero Nurse Prep for Helping Her Pass the ANCC Board Certification Exam

Amanda Garcia’s eight-year career as an assisted living RN at The Kensington in Fort Madison, Iowa is filled with accomplishments.  She was the first in her county to become a facilitator and instructor for end-of-life care.  She has trained staff at the local hospital and Iowa State Penitentiary in dementia care.  She also received the Distinguished Director of Nursing in Leadership Award from the Iowa Center for Assisted Living, and, The Kensington received the Silver – Achievement in Quality Award through the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program.

In between all that, Garcia studied for and passed the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) board certification exam in gerontological nursing – the gold standard in demonstrating knowledge and expertise in gerontological nursing.  She credits the AHCA/NCAL Gero Nurse Prep on-line training course in preparing her to pass the exam.

“The course is amazing and prepares you very well to take the exam,” Garcia said.  “It was a real confidence booster that I do know what I’m talking about.”  She said that the Gero Nurse Prep course was more intensive than she expected.  “There is so much that is different and more to learn with the geriatric population.”  The Gero Nurse Prep case studies pushed the envelope in using her critical thinking skills, she explained.

For the complete article go to:

http://www.longtermcareleader.com/2018/11/ncals-2018-nurse-of-year-credits-gero.html

Save $100 off each enrollment between now and 11/30/18 by using promo code REALRN18 at time of registration.

For more information go to geronurseprep.com or email concne@unmc.edu

Free Webinar – Improving Clinical Outcomes Through Competent Gerontological Nurses.

Dr. Heidi Keeler, Director, Continuing Nursing Education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Nursing, and AHCA/NCAL staff will be presenting a webinar November 8 at 2 p.m. EST discussing the positive impact competent gerontological nurses have on key outcomes, including:
• Lower re-hospitalization rates
• Reduced use of off-label anti-psychotics
• Less use of restraints
• Higher Overall CMS 5-Star Rating
• Higher Survey 5-Star Rating
• Higher Quality-5-Star Rating
To find out more, and to register – go to http://www.longtermcareleader.com/2018/11/its-not-too-late-to-register-for.html

Are You Ready for PDPM?

The new CMS patient driven payment model (PDPM) takes effect October 1, 2019 for skilled nursing facilities and will dramatically change how Medicare Part A payments are determined. That change moves away from the current system that focuses heavily on therapy minutes to a system that will focus on a wide range of clinical characteristics. This transformation in payment methodology will make having competent, proactive RNs even more vital to a SNF’s financial success.

Boost Your RNs’ Clinical Care Management Skills with Gero Nurse Prep!

Staff Competencies Session

This session provides attendees with an understanding of the key components required to construct a staff competency program as well as strategies for return demonstrations, how to evaluate the effectiveness of a program, and methods to measure staff competencies.

Join Heidi Keeler, Anna Fisher and Gail Sheridan on Wednesday October 10, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM and learn how to:

  • Construct a staff competency program
  • Appraise return demonstrations from staff
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of a staff competency program
  • Measure staff competencies

Celebrate National Skilled Nursing Care Week: May 13-19, 2018

Established by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) in 1967 and always beginning on Mother’s Day, National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW) provides an opportunity to recognize the role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities.

The 2018 NSNCW theme announced by AHCA, “Celebrating Life’s Stories”, serves as a tribute to life’s most significant events, relationships and experiences that shape the unique perspectives of residents, families, staff, and volunteers in long term and post-acute care. ​

From May 13-19, 2018, centers will be encouraged to collect individual narratives to cultivate a shared sense of purpose at the center and in the surrounding community.

Skilled nursing care centers and members of the public can now download the 2018 NSNCW toolkit, which includes promotional resources to help increase engagement and participation during the observance by going to  https://www.ahcancal.org/events/national_skilled_nursing_care_week/Pages/default.aspx

Additional promotional materials available include graphics and a one-page flyer, as well as a planning guide and product catalog focused on “Celebrating Life’s Stories”, which is available for download here. Skilled nursing care centers and members of the public may visit the AHCA store directly here to purchase 2018 products.

Please feel free to follow us on Facebook here​ and share activity ideas for the observance on social media with the hashtag, #NSNCW.