Top 10 Risk Issues for Senior Living
Falls, facility-acquired pressure injuries, resident elopement, resident abuse/neglect/exploitation, infection prevention, medication safety, timely care and response to resident change in condition, residents with higher acuity care needs and adequate staff that are trained and competency validated to care for resident care needs are some of the professional liability and licensure challenges faced by senior care leaders. Specialized areas of services focus (e.g., memory care, behavioral health/mental health care, higher-acuity short-term rehabilitation, complex wound care, tracheostomy, and ventilator care) are also creating additional business risk exposure.

This interactive presentation will address the current state of professional liability risk exposure, claim trends, high-level deficiency trends, and the top senior care risk management issues from a practice and administrative perspective. Case examples will address actionable risk management strategies that support proactive risk identification and sustainable quality and process improvement.

• Describe the current state of senior care professional liability risk exposure including claims data, risk management data and legal trends.
• Examine the drivers of high-level regulatory deficiencies and sanctions for senior care including repeat deficiencies and ineffective sustained improvement.
• Apply strategies to minimize the risk exposure for the top ten senior care and assisted living risk management trends.

Cyndi Siders, Siders HealthCare Consulting, LLC

Developing the Charge Nurse Leader
Are your charge nurses prepared to lead the way when faced with challenging events, residents, staff, and family members? The ability to critically think, prioritize, thoughtfully delegate, and manage emergencies are core competencies of effective leadership.

This presentation will address strategies for building a team of situationally aware supervisors, shift leaders and charge nurses. Topics will include resident and family “messaging” when faced with difficult questions and unplanned situations; mentoring a new team member, coaching the under-performing team member, critical thinking as a daily work practice, and communication strategies to optimize team performance and resident safety. Illustrated case scenarios and facilitated discussion will be incorporated throughout the session.

• Identify strategies for building a team of situationally aware supervisors, shift leaders, and charge nurses.
• Describe strategies for effective communication.
• Examine methods to optimize team performance, resident safety, and critical thinking.

Cyndi Siders, Siders HealthCare Consulting, LLC

Networking & Lunch (provided)

Leaders/Managers Supporting Employee Engagement and Retention

Staff and manager/leader turnover is recognized as a significant risk factor in providing safe resident care. Leaders and managers that lead a culture of employee development, engagement, support, recognition, and appreciation are necessary in today’s environment. Providing effective feedback, supporting diversity and inclusion and ideas to strengthen and maintain employee recruitment and retention will be discussed.

• Describe strategies for employee development, engagement, and recognition.
• Discuss the manager’s role in employee retention and supporting employee wellbeing.
• Explore options for providing effective feedback and supporting diversity and inclusion.

Cyndi Siders, Siders HealthCare Consulting, LLC

Enhancing Quality of Care to Prevent Negative Outcomes & Wrap-up
Regulatory noncompliance frequently leads to negative outcomes in resident’s health status. Determining how interdisciplinary teams can collaborate to improve the quality of care direct care staff are providing will overall improve resident outcomes. During this session, examples of strategies to focus on implementing a culture of enhancing the quality of care provided which will in turn improve resident’s health and satisfaction will be provided.

• Define the term quality of care.
• Outline strategies to incorporate an interdisciplinary approach to implementing a culture of providing a high quality of care to residents.
• Identify potential benefits to improved quality of care.

Vicki Worth, Department of Inspections and Appeals
Kellie Van Ree, Director of Clinical Services, LeadingAge Iowa, Urbandale