Resources and Tools

This section includes useful websites, clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and assessment/intervention tools related to quality and safety

Websites: (in alphabetical order)

1. Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes

Mission “To make nursing homes better places to live, work, and visit”.

Provides goals for organization and clinical care. Tools available to assist in Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives.

Link: https://www.nhqualitycampaign.org

2. Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA)

Mission: “To promote excellence in advanced practice nursing that enhances the well being of older adults”.

Provides research and educational resources. A dedicated page just for students is housed on this website.

Link: https://www.gapna.org

3. National Gerontological Nursing Association (NGNA)

Mission: “To improve nursing care given to older adults”.

Houses a geriatrics page with links to a wide variety of resources including quality and safety.

Link: ngna.org

4. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS)

Mission: “To improve the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people”.

Provides education and tools to support quality and safety in the care of older adults. Sections and Special Interest Groups under “About us” tab provide the opportunity for networking and collaboration amongst providers interested in a specific patient population.

Link: www.americangeriatrics.org

5. The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (AMDA)

Mission: “Dedicated to excellence in patient care and provides education, advocacy, information and professional development to promote the delivery of quality post-acute and long-term care medicine”.

Although directed heavily toward medicine, there are a number of resources to help nurses improve quality and safety of care for older adults in LTC. Allows clinicians to see a management view of care.

Link: http://www.amda.com

6. The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing

Mission: “To shape the quality of health care of older adults through excellence in nursing practice”.

Looks at quality in practice, research, and education. Supports an interdisciplinary approach that is respectful of older adults.

Link: http://hartfordign.org

7. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Has section entitles “Quality Improvement/Patient Assessment Instruments” that provides useful information regarding initiatives occurring in the home, hospital, and LTC settings.

Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI) houses information regarding nursing home compare and Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO).

Link: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare.html

8. Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE)

Mission: “To provide principles and tools to stimulate a change in the culture of healthcare facilities to achieve patient centered care for older adults”.

Website motivated by nurses to support quality improvement and systems thinking to improve the culture of care for older adults in variety of settings.

Link: http://www.nicheprogram.org/

9. Agency for Healthcare research and Quality (AHRQ)

Mission: “To produce evidence to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable and affordable, and to work within USDHHS and with other partners to make sure evidence understood and used”.

Offers a variety of information on quality and safety in healthcare. Continuing education opportunities and curriculum resources available. A few of the programs supported by AHRQ are highlighted in the Tools section.

Link: http://www.ahrq.gov

10. Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)

Mission: “Improve health and health care worldwide”.

Focused on quality improvement and systems thinking in healthcare. Houses a number of case studies, research, educational resources, and tools for implementing change in clinical practice.

Link: www.ihi.org

11. American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing

Goals:

• SERVE OUR MEMBERS – Enhance the professional growth and career advancement of our members.

• EXPAND OUR INFLUENCE – Expand the influence of AAACN and Ambulatory Care Nurses to achieve a greater positive impact on the quality of ambulatory care.

• STRENGTHEN OUR CORE – Ensure a healthy organization committed to serving our members and expanding our influence.

Link: https://www.aaacn.org/practice-resources/cctm

12. National League for Nursing

Advancing Care Excellence for Seniors (ACES)

Aim: “To advance the care of older adults through innovations in nursing education”. Houses various resources to support gerontological competencies in nursing education and best practice in nursing care. Included on the website is the Quality Care For Older Adults Framework, opportunities to attend workshops, and a free starter kit that includes unfolding case studies and strategies on how to incorporate them into a curriculum.

Link: http://www.nln.org/facultyprograms/facultyresources/aces/index.htm

13. Nursing Home Abuse Guide

Link: http://www.nursinghomeabuseguide.org/

The mission at nursinghomeabuseguide.org is to provide the public with accurate and up to date information on the many aspects of nursing home injury and abuse. The team at nursinghomeabuseguide.org strives to provide a comprehensive free resource for the public to learn more about nursing home abuse and the actions they can take to protect a loved one. If you would like to get in touch with the team we can be reached at info@nursinghomeabuseguide.org

14. Huddle for Care

Link: https://www.magnetmail.net/actions/email_web_version.cfm?recipient_id=2188806099&message_id=11043887&user_id=AHA_HRET1&group_id=1983288&jobid=29818360

Huddle is a platform to foster peer-to-peer exchange of transitional care solutions.

15. The University of Scranton

The University of Scranton Health Administration master’s program article titled “The Quality of Care in Nursing Homes.” This article discusses nursing home standards and management practices which are aligned with the Nursing home Reform Act and Medicare’s Special Focus Facility Programs to help deliver high quality senior care.

16. Nursing Home Abuse Center

Mission: “To create the top online resource for exposing senior abuse.”

Provides free resources for seniors who are currently being abused in a nursing home or independent living situation, or for family and friends of the elderly who might think their loved one is being abused.

Link: https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/

EBP/CPGs:

Nurses must be actively involved with efforts that support evidenced based practice within their workplace. Numerous Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) that relate to quality and safety of care for older adults are located at the following websites. Guidelines relevant to older adults include dementia, falls, health maintenance, depression, end of life, and more.

National Guideline Clearinghouse (an initiative of AHRQ)

Link: http://www.guideline.gov

The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (AMDA)

A list of CPGs that are relevant to LTC can be found under the “Resources and Tools” tab.

Link: http://www.amda.com

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS)

Guidelines and recommendations on a number of topics including multi-morbidity, falls, potentially inappropriate medication, and more.

Link: www.americangeriatrics.org

ConsultGeriRN.org

This is a website of The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing that presents evidenced based clinical protocols, assessment tools, continuing education, and links to specialty organizations. Houses a resource center for faculty in APRN programs.

Link: consultgerirn.org

Tools

• Safety Program for Long Term Care: CAUTI

http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/cauti-ltc/index.html

Improvement initiative that looks at safety as it relates to infection rates. Tools are provided to support the communication and teamwork necessary for change. LTC facilities must enroll in the program.

Flyer

• TeamStepps Long Term Care version

http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/education/curriculum-tools/teamstepps/longtermcare/

Based on TeamStepps but geared toward LTC environment. See video for more information:

(Insert video) Internet Citation: TeamSTEPPS Overview Video: TeamSTEPPS® Long-Term Care Version. November 2012. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/education/curriculum-tools/teamstepps/longtermcare/video/overview/overview1.html

• Quality improvement tools related to medication management

  • Beers Criteria

• STOPP/START

• Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) in Healthcare for Older Adults

• Plan-Do-Study-Act

• Toolkit for Gerontology Resources for Advanced Practice Nurses

Provided by Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA)

This toolkit provides clinical practice education and preceptor resources for Gerontology.

Link: https://www.gapna.org/resources/toolkit-gerontology-resources-advanced-practice-nurses

• John Hartford Assicoation Tools for Geriatrics

• Tools You Can Use: Webinar Series Covers Geriatrics-Competent Care for Medicare-Medicaid Population

• Tools You Can Use: The Essentials of Cardiovascular Care in Older Adults

• Tools You Can Use: Geriatric Transitions Objective Structured Video Examination

• Tools You Can Use: A Non-pharmacologic Toolkit for Addressing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

• Tools You Can Use: A New APProach to Treating Older Patients

• Tools You Can Use: Ten Steps for Communicating with Patients about Serious Illness from the Center to Advance Palliative Care (Video)

• Tools You Can Use: Detecting Cognitive Impairment During the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit

• Tools You Can Use: Preparing a Personal Advance Care Plan

• Tools You Can Use: Guidelines for Assessing Patients Facing Surgery

• Tools You Can Use: Principles for Treating Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions