Comments on: Alternative Care Options Face Battles http://nursingassistants.net/2008/02/10/alternative-care-options-face-battles/ Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:36:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Matt Sevier http://nursingassistants.net/2008/02/10/alternative-care-options-face-battles/comment-page-1/#comment-39102 Matt Sevier Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:50:56 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/02/10/alternative-care-options-face-battles/#comment-39102 Patti, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Patti, I agree with you wholeheartedly.

]]> By: Patti http://nursingassistants.net/2008/02/10/alternative-care-options-face-battles/comment-page-1/#comment-39098 Patti Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:58:16 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/02/10/alternative-care-options-face-battles/#comment-39098 Matt, I have always believed if people were serious about fixing the problems most nursing homes have, they would ask the CNA's for solutions. And act on those ideas. CNA's see it all- they know who is working, who isn't. They can and often do the work of other depts- housekeeping, laundry, kitchen...even maint tasks. I believe this is why we see such success with Eden type facilities: The aides are do it all in each neighborhood and there is no need for these other depts...there is really no need for much of the layers of fat we see at some nursing homes either...do they really need unit managers and then charge nurses and then a Head Nurse manager and then an ADON and then, phew, a DON?? NO. Not at all. Passing the buck becomes a way of life in these places. Punitive attitudes cause aides and everyone else to leave; when they learn to remove the punishiment factor and bring in the LETS LEARN from THIS, things could get better too. But, above all, better pay and benefits and respect must come first. Until that happens, things will remain the same. Matt, I have always believed if people were serious about fixing the problems most nursing homes have, they would ask the CNA’s for solutions. And act on those ideas.

CNA’s see it all- they know who is working, who isn’t. They can and often do the work of other depts- housekeeping, laundry, kitchen…even maint tasks. I believe this is why we see such success with Eden type facilities: The aides are do it all in each neighborhood and there is no need for these other depts…there is really no need for much of the layers of fat we see at some nursing homes either…do they really need unit managers and then charge nurses and then a Head Nurse manager and then an ADON and then, phew, a DON?? NO.

Not at all. Passing the buck becomes a way of life in these places. Punitive attitudes cause aides and everyone else to leave; when they learn to remove the punishiment factor and bring in the LETS LEARN from THIS, things could get better too. But, above all, better pay and benefits and respect must come first. Until that happens, things will remain the same.

]]> By: Matt Sevier http://nursingassistants.net/2008/02/10/alternative-care-options-face-battles/comment-page-1/#comment-39096 Matt Sevier Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:24:29 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/02/10/alternative-care-options-face-battles/#comment-39096 I am from Tennessee, and I had a meeting with my state representative last month about nursing home reform, less than 3 hours after the Tennessee Healthcare Association had taken him to lunch (my former boss was one of the folks with THCA). The representative told me my 3-point plan for NH reform in Tennessee (requiring each NH to have policies and procedures in place to address CNA retention, mandatory staff education on the survey process, and requirements for the NH's QA committee to actually achieve some sort of measurable gain and actually have accountability and transparency) was much better and actually achieved something, instead of THCA's plan to impose cap limits on lawsuits and mandate the use of arbitration agreements in admission contracts. My representative, whose day job is as a nursing home litigator (he's one of those people on TV who will be happy to sue the NH because momma fell, or got a bedsore, or just because there isn't enough staff) said that there are actually very few lawsuits against NH in Tennessee. He also said that it would be tough to get this 3-point plan through due to THCA's massive lobbying power, even though he promised to try. I suppose that THCA is trying to carry on AHCA's nationwide vision for reducing liability. But I still say that they should fix problems rather than to waste 10 times more money passing the buck. I am from Tennessee, and I had a meeting with my state representative last month about nursing home reform, less than 3 hours after the Tennessee Healthcare Association had taken him to lunch (my former boss was one of the folks with THCA). The representative told me my 3-point plan for NH reform in Tennessee (requiring each NH to have policies and procedures in place to address CNA retention, mandatory staff education on the survey process, and requirements for the NH’s QA committee to actually achieve some sort of measurable gain and actually have accountability and transparency) was much better and actually achieved something, instead of THCA’s plan to impose cap limits on lawsuits and mandate the use of arbitration agreements in admission contracts. My representative, whose day job is as a nursing home litigator (he’s one of those people on TV who will be happy to sue the NH because momma fell, or got a bedsore, or just because there isn’t enough staff) said that there are actually very few lawsuits against NH in Tennessee. He also said that it would be tough to get this 3-point plan through due to THCA’s massive lobbying power, even though he promised to try. I suppose that THCA is trying to carry on AHCA’s nationwide vision for reducing liability. But I still say that they should fix problems rather than to waste 10 times more money passing the buck.

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