To change or not to change – There is no question!

This is an excerpt from the 2008 Action Plan for (Further Improvement of) Nursing Home Quality.   

“Culture Change—The CMS began its efforts to improve the quality of care and quality of life in nursing homes with the passage of the Health Care Financing Administration’s (HCFA, now CMS) regulations that implemented the OBRA ’87 law’s mandates for quality of life, quality of care, and resident rights. To further the Agency’s work to implement these important aspects of the law and regulations, the Agency has become a part of a national movement known as “culture change.” (Other terms include “resident-directed care,” “person-centered care,” and “individualized care.”) Culture change principles echo OBRA principles of knowing and respecting each nursing home resident in order to provide individualized care that best enhances each person’s quality of life. The OBRA regulations are not, as is commonly perceived, a barrier to culture change, but in fact support it as an optimum implementation of the law that mandates resident dignity, autonomy, and quality of life. The concept of culture change encourages facilities to change outdated practices to allow residents more input into their own care and encourages staff to serve as a team that responds to what each person wants and needs.”

To see the full text, click here:

http://www.cms.gov/CertificationandComplianc/Downloads/2008NHActionPlan.pdf

 Quality of life=culture change principles=OBRA principles=regulations=individualized care=person-centered care=resident directed care=(your facility)=good survey

Is this a formula that works? If you look at the parts of this equation, you can see how to break down culture change into parts that will work for any facility. Start simply.

 

Let’s look at that last sentence from CMS: 

“… to change outdated practices to allow residents more input into their own care…”

How do you have care plan meetings in your facility? Do residents attend the meetings? Are they scheduled for staff convenience or for family? How about resident scheduling their own care plan meetings? Anyone for morning coffee, cakes and care planning?                                                                                          

 “…and encourages staff to serve as a team that responds to what each person wants and needs.”

 Does your facility encourage team work? Really? Is that a box on our evaluation form?  Right under infection control or how to use the lift! Do we encourage team work, or do we try to keep “friends” from working together? Do we listen to each other?

The basic building block of good teambuilding is for a leader to promote the feeling that every human being is unique and adds value.
– Unknown