LTC DON Chat

The LTC DON Chat is a podcast brought to you by the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN). Our experts and guest speakers cover the hottest topics and breaking news in long-term care nurse leadership.

Are Your Facility’s Policies and Procedures Up To Date?

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, director of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, discuss the importance of policy and procedure review in nursing homes, as well as steps the DNS can take to complete this process efficiently and stay in compliance with federal regulations that require these reviews. Additional Resources: AAPACN Post-Acute Care News Survey Readiness: Critical Element Pathways, Observations, Reviews, and Policy Calendar Tool Policy and Procedure Review and Development Guide Tool

09-10
08:10

Is Your Facility Ready for Respiratory Illness Season?

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, director of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, discuss what to do to prepare for respiratory illness season.

08-13
07:22

Confidence as a Culture: Empowering the Team

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Lauren Stenson, MSN, RN, CNDLTC, QCP, DNS-CT, curriculum development specialist with AAPACN, discuss ways directors of nursing services can build confidence in their staff. Whether on-boarding new hires, supporting burned-out nurses, or just trying to bring stability to a high-turnover environment, confidence is the fuel behind quality care.  Additional Resources: Daily Clinical Rounds Tool

07-15
06:31

Leading the Shift: Psychotropic Stewardship in Nursing Practice

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Lauren Stenson, MSN, RN, CNDLTC, QCP, DNS-CT, curriculum development specialist with AAPACN, discuss how the director of nursing services (DNS) can advocate for resident-centered care by navigating Appendix PP updates, reducing unnecessary psychotropic medications, and driving meaningful, non-pharmacological interventions through interdisciplinary collaboration.  Additional Resources: Maximizing Your Pharmacy’s Benefits Tool

06-11
07:54

What to Do When Someone Calls the Department of Health on Your Facility

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, director of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, discuss what to do when someone calls the Department of Health on your facility.  Additional Resources: Admission Checklist: Seed to Success

05-07
09:17

Enhancing DNS Leadership Skills for Team Resiliency

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Lauren Stenson, MSN, RN, CNDLTC, QCP, DNS-CT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss how directors of nursing services can advance their leadership skills to help their teams be more resilient to the evolving challenges of healthcare. Additional Resources:Self-Care and Why It Matters in Healthcare – Podcast

03-11
12:05

Admission Process Best Practices: How to Create a Smooth Resident Transition to LTPAC Settings

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Lauren Stenson, MSN, RN, CNDLTC, QCP, DNS-CT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss the admission process and ways to ease the resident’s transition into long-term and post-acute care settings.

01-15
14:52

LTPAC Onboarding and Orientation Process Pitfalls

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Lauren Stenson, MSN, RN, CNDLTC, QCP, DNS-CT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss some common pitfalls of the onboarding and orientation process in long-term and post-acute care settings and how to set new employees up for success. Additional Resources: AAPACN Onboarding Essentials: Welcoming Staff to Promote Retention Tool

12-10
09:36

Improve Staff Retention by Following Hiring Best Practices and Elevating the Onboarding Process

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss how the director of nursing services (DNS) can improve staff retention through the onboarding process. Additional Resources: Interview Template Tool Stay Interview Template and Action Plan AAPACN Onboarding Essentials: Welcoming Staff to Promote Retention Tool Turnover Solutions Series – Part 2: Understanding Why Employees Leave and Strategies to Reduce Turnover

07-16
06:28

Turnover and Staff Retention – Understand the Differences and How to Track These Metrics

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss turnover and staff retention, what the differences are and how to track these metrics. They will also cover what the director of nursing services (DNS) can learn from these numbers and how the DNS can communicate that information to others to improve outcomes.

06-11
06:35

The Importance of Facility Culture

In this podcast, Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, and Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, discuss facility culture—what it is, why it’s important, and how listeners can assess and implement strategies to improve their culture. Additional Resources: AAPACN’s Nursing Department Culture Assessment and Improvement Worksheet Improve Staffing and Quality Care Through Individualized Culture Change of the Nursing Department

05-07
08:14

How the Occupational Therapist Can Collaborate with the Director of Nursing Services

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Colleen Oakley, OTR/L NHA RAC-CT, senior director of operations for Rehab America and treasurer and member of the AAPACN Board of Directors, discuss ways that the occupational therapist (OT) can collaborate with the director of nursing services (DNS) for better resident outcomes.

04-23
10:37

Advocate for Long-Term Care Through the DNS-EAP

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss the opportunity for AAPACN members to advocate for long-term care through AAPACN’s Director of Nursing Services—Expert Advisory Panel (DNS-EAP). Additional Resources:Learn more and apply to become a member of the DNS-EAP here

03-12
06:55

Management of Resident Behavioral Health Needs in Long-Term Care

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jacob Berelowitz, LNHA, LMSW, CPHQ, CCM, program director for the Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF), discuss resident behavioral health management—what it is, the benefits of this approach, how it differs from other methods, and some key strategies for success to improve resident care. Additional Resources: Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities AAPACN 2024 Conference Request 1:1 Technical Assistance and Support from COE-NF COE-NF Resource Hub COE-NF Upcoming Virtual Trainings

02-06
12:05

Common Barriers and Risks Associated with Care Planning and How the DNS Can Support the Nursing Team

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss common barriers in the care planning process, the risks of delaying care plan updates, and how the director of nursing services (DNS) can support the nursing team in the care planning process. Additional Resources: Baseline Care Plan tool Comprehensive Person-Centered Care Plan Audit Tool and Care Planning Cheat Sheet Person-Centered Care Planning – Nursing In-service Education

12-12
07:31

How the Dietitian Can Help the DNS Improve Quality Outcomes

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Anna Sherman, RD, LD, a registered dietitian at RD Nutrition Consultants, discuss the registered dietitian’s role as a key member of the interdisciplinary team and how the director of nursing services (DNS) can collaborate with the dietitian to improve resident and facility outcomes.

11-07
13:11

Operationalizing Change in the Workplace

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Linda Winston, RN, MSN, BS, RAC-CT, RAC-CTA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, independent nurse consultant and educator, discuss how to operationalize change in the workplace.This podcast is sponsored by AAPACN Diamond business partner, MDS Consultants. MDS Consultants provides short-term and long-term MDS completion services, practical training for the everyday MDS Coordinator, and a variety of compliance services for case-mix, Medicare eligibility, UB-04, care plans, schizophrenia audits and more. Learn how to get help for your team at mds-consultants.com.

10-10
12:51

Discharge Planning Best Practices to Avoid Hospital Readmissions

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Dr. Nancy Kusmaul, PhD, MSW, associate professor in the baccalaureate social work program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, discuss discharge planning best practices to avoid hospital readmissions.

09-19
08:10

The DNS’s Role in the Annual Budget

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss the director of nursing services’ (DNS's) role in the annual budget.

08-07
08:24

Beers Criteria Update and the Impact to SNFs

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, and Lisa Morris, D.Ph., BCGP, FASCP, executive director of clinical services for Consana, discuss changes to the American Geriatrics Society’s Beers Criteria and its impact on skilled nursing facilities. Additional Resources: American Geriatrics Society 2023 updated AGS Beers Criteria® for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Calculator

07-17
15:30

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