Adviser Winter 2019-20 LeadingAge New York Adviser LeadingAge NewYork Winter 2019-20 | Page 52

Feature
How Strong Are Your Roots?
Dawn Carter, RN, ProCare Consultant
A
s facilities, we focus on rules and regulations, quality improvement, quality measures
and quality metrics. We are invested in and committed to bringing a caring culture
and community to the residents and families we serve. This is our mission, our vision, our
values. You’ve heard it said that it takes a village to raise a child. We are the village for our
residents. Inside the village are many people: administration, medical, nursing, dietary,
activities, social work, therapy, maintenance, volunteers, contractors, etc. Each person has a
vital part in the quality of care we provide. We try to hire the right staff and train them into
our culture of caring. But what good does that do if they don’t stay around long enough to
use what they have learned? Research has shown that if people are happy where they work
and feel respected and valued by their co-workers, they are more likely to stay. We want
to maintain and sustain the type of employees who are also committed to our culture of
caring. One of the best ways to do this is to give each new employee a positive and enriching
orientation process.
With our residents being our top priority, let me ask: who are
their main caretakers? It’s a simple answer: the Certified Nurse
where they work and feel respected and valued
Assistant (CNA) staff. They are the roots of any nursing facility.
They are the ones who provide that hands-on care 24 hours a
by their co-workers, they are more likely to stay.
day. They get to know the residents like no other person in your
facility. They know their routines, likes and dislikes, strengths
and weaknesses and histories. They can tell when the resident is having a good or bad day,
not eating or drinking as well, not sleeping as usual, experiencing skin changes, etc. They
know when something is different, even if they can’t tell you exactly what it is. They are
your best resource for providing the quality of care you want and reducing those unwanted
hospitalizations and rehospitalizations. We make sure that they are competent in their skill
sets to ensure this. But let me also ask: can a CNA who is competent in their skills but is
not friendly and does not communicate well with residents, families and team members be
outstanding?
Research has shown that if people are happy
The goal is to give your CNA staff the additional
I am sure that you
have both the excellent
skills they can use in providing that quality of
CNAs and the not-so-
care, promote a positive attitude and enhance
outstanding ones. What
if those excellent CNAs
sustainability of staff by becoming mentors to
could be given even more
skills and techniques in
both new and experienced CNAs.
communication, dealing
with difficult situations and people, dealing with stress and time management and become
positive role models, social supports, tutors and resources to new and existing CNAs?
LeadingAge New York ProCare offers the “Growing Strong Roots” program for both
members and non-members, where these skills and techniques are taught with examples
and exercises in real-life situations. The goal is to give your CNA staff the additional skills
they can use in providing that quality of care, promote a positive attitude and enhance
sustainability of staff by becoming mentors to
both new and experienced CNAs.
How strong are your roots? Why not consider
growing stronger, deeper roots today?
Contact LeadingAge New York ProCare at
518-867-8383 for more information.
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Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Winter 2019-20