Developing effective comprehensive care plans presents challenges to nursing facilities, both in Virginia and across the country. Deficiencies related to care plans continue to be cited in facilities on a consistent basis by surveyors. In an effort to assist long term care providers with recognizing the importance of creating a care plan with input from all members of the facility’s interdisciplinary team, VHCA is offering this one-day program specifically designed to assist team members in the development of care plans that will lead to better resident outcomes and successful survey results. Particular attention will be paid to establishing the goals of the care planning process.

The program will include an update of survey results obtained from VHCA’s Survey Management and Resource Tool (SMART) revealing specific reasons why deficiencies were cited at F tags related to care plans. According to SMART, the care plan citation remained among the top 10 deficiencies cited in 2007 and 2008. The F Tag 280 for care plans was cited once in every three surveys conducted between January 1, 2008 through October 2008. An analysis of additional deficiencies interrelated to care plans and the accuracy of assessments will be highlighted as part of the day’s agenda.

A major focus of the day will be on the importance of reassessment and revision of the care plan when a resident has a change of condition or functional status, and the resulting consequences of the facility’s failure to update and implement care plans. The program will focus special attention on the critical nature of participation of the interdisciplinary team. Team members will learn effective ways to plan and implement the care plan to achieve positive results for the resident and the facility. The session will concentrate on the relationship of effective care plans with the accuracy of the comprehensive assessments, the consensus of the team members in identifying problems, setting measurable objectives, and the reliability of the plan.

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and hear Connie Cheren, a national long term care expert and consultant, as she describes how to successfully design and implement individualized care plans.

Participants will learn effective and practical approaches to using the comprehensive resident assessment to develop and implement effective care plans through discussion of the following:

• A review of overall goals of care planning

• The importance of an interdisciplinary team in developing an effective care plan to improve quality of care for the resident and achieve positive outcomes for the facility

• Completion of the RAPs

• The basics of care planning, including
  (1) Identifying staff who should be involved in care planning
  (2) Where care planning takes place
  (3) Where care plans should be kept to ensure they are used
  (4) When and how often care plans must be written and updated
  (5) The preparation that should occur prior to the care plan meeting
  (6) Defining what process should be followed at the care plan meeting
  (7) The process for developing an action plan

The session will also provide an overview of the importance of involving your facility’s CNAs in developing care plans, including:

• Ensuring that CNAs understand the care plan goals and interventions for all of their residents

• Describing interventions for amending the care plan due to a change in condition or functional status, e.g., when a resident falls

• The importance of updating care plans when resident status changes between care plan meetings

• Encouraging attendance of CNAs and charge nurses at care plan meetings

• 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration & Continental Breakfast

• 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Practical Approaches to Care Planning and Role of the Interdisciplinary Team

• 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Break

• 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Essential Elements of Care Planning and Completion of RAPs

• 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Lunch

• 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Preparation, Implementation and Revision of the Care Plan

• 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Break

• 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. CNAs and Care Planning

Connie E. Cheren, RN, MSW, is the President and Owner of Quality Care Assurance, Inc., a national consulting and educational firm for nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Through her expertise in regulatory compliance, she performs consulting for facilities nationwide in their efforts to ensure state and federal compliance. Ms. Cheren completed her undergraduate studies and received her Master’s degree in Social Work at the University of Illinois. Using experience gained in developing and implementing innovative regulatory systems for Illinois and Florida, Ms. Cheren developed new facility assessment protocols and procedures and materials to teach improved care planning and restorative care. She also developed a variety of advanced approaches for streamlining facility management, clinical care practice, quality assurance/continuous quality improvement, and risk management, while enhancing regulatory compliance. Ms. Cheren is widely recognized as a leader in the effort to make restorative and rehabilitative care a “theory in use” and for contributions to improve the quality of long term care.

Who Should Attend:

Interdisciplinary Team Members 

NAB Certified Sponsor - 5 hours of continuing education
Virginia Health Care Association is a Certified Sponsor of professional continuing education with the National Association of Boards of Examiners of Long Term Care Administrators (NAB) and has approved this program for the number of clock hours listed under their sponsor agreement with NAB/NCERS. State licensure boards, however, have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses.   

To register, click here to register online or complete the attached registration form (PDF) and return with payment to the attention of:

Virginia Health Care Association
2112 W. Laburnum Avenue, Suite 206
Richmond, Virginia 23227
Phone: 804-353-9101