AAPACN’s Nursing Department Culture Assessment and Improvement Worksheet

To improve staff retention, the director of nursing services (DNS) and administrator should regularly assess the nursing department’s culture. AAPACN’s Nursing Department Culture Assessment and Improvement Worksheet can help the DNS and administrator review multiple areas of their department’s culture that they have observed and adjust where needed. This tool …

Improve Staffing and Quality Care Through Individualized Culture Change of the Nursing Department

Staff turnover is a nationwide problem for nursing homes and it may be worse than previous reports have suggested, according to a study of newly available Payroll-Based Journal data published in the National Library of Medicine. The study also noted a possible negative relationship between a facility’s overall Five-Star rating …

Infection Prevention and Control: How to Finetune Whole-House Staff Education

In calendar year (CY) 2023, F880 (Infection Prevention and Control) was the third most frequently cited F-tag in nursing homes nationwide, as well as the fifth most common at the immediate jeopardy (IJ) level, according to QCOR data accessed on Jan. 16, 2024. That is an improvement over CY 2022, …

iQIES Resources Site Updated

iQIES is the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System, which is the system that the MDS submissions system is being transferred to. The QIES Technical Support Office maintains a website with iQIES reference materials, including an onboarding guide and other training materials. Most recent updates: Jan 22, 2024 Nov 22, …

Reducing Post-Discharge Hospital Readmissions: Set Up the Resident for Success

Like in-house hospital readmissions, post-discharge hospital readmissions can affect provider performance in the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing Program (SNF VBP), says Carol Hill, MSN, RN, LNHA, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, CPC, president of Hill Educational Services in Warrior, AL. “With the Skilled Nursing Facility 30 Day All-Cause Readmission Measure …

Communication Basics: How Nurse Leaders Can Build a Two-Way Street

A top-down or autocratic management style is becoming increasingly outdated for dealing with today’s healthcare workforce in non-emergent situations. Other leadership styles, such as transformational leadership, often work better to help staff feel valued, supported, and satisfied in their job—and to give them the sense of ownership in creating positive …

Communication: The Key to Improved Dialysis Outcomes

Communication is key to providing residents quality care. This is especially true for dialysis patients who are particularly vulnerable: lack of communication can lead to missed dialysis appointments, medication errors, adverse events, and rehospitalization. This article will provide the director of nursing services (DNS) tips to improve communication with both …

In-House Hospital Readmissions: How to Prevent Upward Trends

The average cost of a hospital readmission is 12.4 percent higher than the average cost of the original hospital admission ($16,300 vs. $14,500), according to a 2023 analysis by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). At the same time, hospital readmissions from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) remain relatively …

Mentoring, Coaching, and Counseling, Oh My! How They All Fit Into The Disciplinary Process

As the leader of the nursing department, the director of nursing services (DNS) plays an integral role in the disciplinary process. Managing employee performance can be challenging, but it is necessary. Failure to address employees’ negative behaviors and actions can destroy morale among the staff. Knowing when and how to …