How to support your nursing team to elevate resident care
As quality of care takes the forefront of how skilled nursing facilities are evaluated and reimbursed, nurses increasingly face more complex challenges. They are caring for higher acuity residents, dealing with heavier workloads and trying to keep up with the latest healthcare regulations and practices.
Nurses are key to improving quality of care and outcomes. They can contribute valuable insights into how to best manage the care of your most vulnerable residents. One of the most impactful ways to elevate resident care is to support the professional growth of your nursing team.
How professional development impacts quality and retention
Professional development opportunities enable nurses to grow in their practice and enhance their ability to provide safe and effective care. Healthcare organizations that support and invest in the professional growth of their nurses will not only enhance resident outcomes, but also boost job satisfaction and improve retention rates.
Even with limited resources, your organization can take a variety of approaches to improve staff competencies, promote professional growth and help nurses stay at the top of their game.
- Establish a career ladder program
This will give your nurses a roadmap for career advancement and incentivize professional development. - Provide resources for continuing education (CE) courses
Encouraging your nurses to stay updated on evidence-based practices and the latest clinical developments will promote higher quality care. - Offer in-facility competency development
Staff in-services, lunch and learn sessions, preceptor workshops and real-time coaching are all convenient and effective ways to advance skills and knowledge. - Consider an on-site LPN to RN program
By having participants in the program commit to a specific length of employment with your facility, you can proactively promote nurse retention while advancing professional growth. - Provide tuition reimbursement
Financially supporting the educational advancement of your nurses not only elevates resident care, it also lets your nurses know you value them, encourages them to stay and attracts new employees.
Stay tuned for our next blog post in this series where we’ll share strategies for empowering your nurses!
Find out how your facility can drive better care and outcomes by watching this short video.
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