Re: geriatric nurse competencies

[RRS2000]

Nursing homes have been doing competency testing practically since time began - that is what the med pass observations are that we all do before survey.  We do it to ensure resident safety and because it is such a huge liability for the nurse and for the facility when mistakes are made.  

I strongly believe that competency testing should be significantly expanded to included key aspects of care in nursing homes just as it is done in hospitals (the JCAHO wouldn't have it any other way in hospitals).  That is why I was able to provide and list of recommended competencies for LTC, and each of the listed aspects of care has its own test.

This competency testing becomes an important component of a facility's quality improvement activities.

Rena

That is why I was able to provide and list of recommended competencies for LTC, and each of the listed aspects of care has its own test.

Subj: RE: geriatric nurse competencies
Date: 1/23/04 6:13:34 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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I agree. Everyone is trained at different schools with different approaches, work at different places with different experienceâ. Then there is the wide array of delegation of RN tasks per Standards of Nursing to LPNsâ.. and we are responsible as administration to ensure that our staff are trained appropriately for the expertise. We have at least 6 expertise(es) in our facility. The only way you can ensure that all are trained and knowledgeable is âcompetency testingâ. (Same with CNAs!) 



Itâs ensuring good quality care. Just like learning from this list serve is good quality documentation.

 

Thanks again to all of you for being so generous and willing to share your knowledge, experience and âexpertiseâ. I for one, very much appreciate it!

 

-----Original Message-----
From: CAROLYN ORTTEL [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 7:50 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: geriatric nurse competencies

 

I agree with you.  I work in a large metro facility and it is amazing how much nurses don't appear to know or remember of basic nursing taught in school and required for licensure.  I think competencies are a good idea to keep people on their toes.  Some of the documentation I see is scary.

>>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] 01/23/04 07:36AM >>>



sorry, guess I don't get the humor, no I don't have too much time on my hands, just the opposite, we are a small rural facility and we wear many hats here, one of mine is supervisor of long term care, in addition to MDS coordinator, so I really appreciate all the positive help I receive thru this list-serve, it is priceless, most of the time.