Comments on: Blended Roles: CNA & Activity Assistant http://nursingassistants.net/2007/12/26/blended-roles-cna-activity-assistant/ Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:47:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Geney http://nursingassistants.net/2007/12/26/blended-roles-cna-activity-assistant/comment-page-1/#comment-39013 Geney Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:48:54 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2007/12/26/blended-roles-cna-activity-assistant/#comment-39013 The model role that you described for assisted living can certainly work for LTC. In light of the new activity guidelines for SNF's, it clearly states that the "facility"( housekeepers, C.N.A's, adminstrative, dietary, etc etc) as a whole, needs to be more proactive in providing impromptu, spontaneous and individualized activities for their Residents. You queried; " I’m not sure how it works, though, for SNF- which have stringent regulation regarding activities and who can provide them." CMS wants to see this best practice approach implemented, going so far as to mandate it. HOWEVER, the "knee jerk" reaction on the part of many, is that somehow all this additional, quality activity needs to be DOCUMENTED. Herein lies the problem. The basic premise of Therapeutic Recreation being responsible for "measurable outcomes" in terms of performance goals needs to be REVAMPED!!!! If the state MANDATED staffing ratios in SNF's to be 5:1, there would be a a realistic environment to make the blended role WORK. If a facility cannot fiscally provide for this ratio, then the STATE should provide an "agency" if you will to fill in the staffing gap. After all, the state cites us for not being compliant with a VAST infastructure of regs. that understaffed SNF's cannot possibly meet. The model role that you described for assisted living can certainly work for LTC. In light of the new activity guidelines for SNF’s, it clearly states that the “facility”( housekeepers, C.N.A’s, adminstrative, dietary, etc etc) as a whole, needs to be more proactive in providing impromptu, spontaneous and individualized activities for their Residents. You queried; ” I’m not sure how it works, though, for SNF- which have stringent regulation regarding activities and who can provide them.” CMS wants to see this best practice approach implemented, going so far as to mandate it. HOWEVER, the “knee jerk” reaction on the part of many, is that somehow all this additional, quality activity needs to be DOCUMENTED. Herein lies the problem. The basic premise of Therapeutic Recreation being responsible for “measurable outcomes” in terms of performance goals needs to be REVAMPED!!!!

If the state MANDATED staffing ratios in SNF’s to be 5:1, there would be a a realistic environment to make the blended role WORK.

If a facility cannot fiscally provide for this ratio, then the STATE should provide an “agency” if you will to fill in the staffing gap. After all, the state cites us for not being compliant with a VAST infastructure of regs. that understaffed SNF’s cannot possibly meet.

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