Webinars & Other Education Opportunities
Listed below you will find a number of webinars and other opportunities for continuing education. Many of these are offered through the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). On their dedicated ahcancalED education site, there are numerous courses in myriad topics, many offering CEs, and some offering certifications. You can find all these courses HERE.
Creating Inclusive Communities for LGBTQI and HIV+ Older Adults
Presented By: AHCA/NCAL
AHCA/NCAL’s Creating Inclusive Communities for LGBTQI & HIV+ Older Adults is applicable to staff working in any type of senior living setting, in all 50 states.
You can find further information HERE. If you have questions please contact educate@ahca.org.
TNA to CNA Test Prep Course
Presented By: CNAonline.com
On April 7, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memo indicating that the waiver that allowed for the utilization of the Temporary Nurse Aides (TNAs) and Personal Care Aides (PCAs) in skilled nursing and long-term care facilities wills expire on June 6, 2022. The TNA training will be available until June 5, 2022.
Based on this announcement by CMS, TNAs / PCAs will have four months from June 6, 2022, to transition into certified nurse aides. Depending on the state, this transition processes may include taking full nurse aide training classes, state written tests, and/or state competency/skills exams.
Skilled nursing and long-term care facilities will no longer be allowed to utilize TNAs / PCAs in a clinical capacity after October 6, 2022, unless they have received approval from a state official.
Each state has different requirements for TNAs / PCAs once the certificates expire. Some states require that TNAs / PCAs complete a state approved training program others have waivers that allow TNAs / PCAs to take the state test without further training. This TNA to CNA Test Prep is a study course to primarily assist TNAs / PCAs to prepare for their state’s nurse aide test. This course is self-paced, allowing students to study at their convenience. Secondarily, the course could be used as refresher materials by students who may encounter lengthy delays in getting testing dates.
AHCA/NCAL Offers Infection Preventionist Specialized Training – IPCO Version 2
Presented By: AHCA/NCAL
Now, more than ever, an Infection Prevention Control Officer (IPCO) is critical to have in your building/organization. This updated version incorporates information from the COVID-19 pandemic, the most recent regulatory requirements as well as sections on Candida auris, Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs), and Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP). Additionally, there is an entire section on how to get an effective water management program running in your center.
Participants must complete all training modules and successfully pass quizzes and a final test with a grade of 80 or above to receive a certificate of completion from AHCA, valid for 3 years.
Course Fees
You have 12 months to complete the course from the date you open the course, but most participants can successfully complete the course and receive their certificate in a much shorter time frame.
AHCA/NCAL members for $450 / non-members $650
Group purchase with discount structure is available for groups of 25 or more. There are no refunds and no transfers.
Registrations for IPCO must be completed by the individual who will be taking the course, under their individual login. Registrations cannot be completed by another person or under another person’s login. If you are not sure of your member status, please email educate@ahca.org before making payment.
A New Infection Control Program Designed for Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living Staff
Presented By: AHCA/NCAL
The AHCA/NCAL Infection Control Certificate Program features two main areas.
Five eLearning modules that provide basic knowledge in the following areas:
- Infection Prevention and Control for All Staff
- Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Hand Hygiene
- COVID-19: PPE Guidance for Use
Five eCompetenciesTM with evidence-based digital checklists that allow evaluators to confirm step-by-step knowledge and competency for:
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Applying and Removing
- Handwashing
- Surgical Face Mask: Application and Removal
- N95 Respirator Application and User Seal Check
Cleaning and Disinfecting Environmental Surfaces
Functional Outcomes Training
Presented By: AHCA/NCAL
6.5 CEUs
Skilled nursing care providers improve the lives of the residents they care for in a number of ways, including improving their functional outcomes and independence. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), the IMPACT Act, and CMS all called for the development of functional improvement measures based on the self-care and mobility sections of the Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation (CARE) tool. Maintaining or improving mobility and self-care abilities is important to healthy aging and maximizing independence. This course provides specialized training for those who are interested in improving functional outcomes, improving quality, and improving services. It will advance the knowledge, skills and attitudes by providing a wide array of learning tools and resources to meet the needs of various staff and departments.
Course Objectives: Upon completion the learner will be able to:
- Recognize the role centers play in improving functional outcomes of residents.
- Define how functional outcomes directly impact quality of care.
- Consider best practices to incorporate into everyday care in centers.
- Identify tools to improve functional outcomes.
- Review the restorative nursing program’s impact on functional outcomes.
- Review of activities and other programs in the center that can impact functional outcomes.
Nurses, CNAs, therapists, activities staff and others responsible for improving functional outcomes will learn from this course.
The program is flexible and can be completed in one sitting or one module at a time.
The training is delivered in five modules, including:
- Module 1 – Explores the connection between functional outcomes and person-centered care, and how utilization of evidence-based pragmatic programs leads toward continuous improvement.
- Module 2 – Reviews the regulations related to functional outcomes including the CMS Requirements of Participation and how functional improvement impacts reimbursement.
- Module 3 – Covers best care coordination practices for short- and long-stay patients, including coordinating with therapy processes, and provides an overview of effective restorative nursing programs.
- Module 4 – Closely examines care practice application and what individuals can do to increase function, team engagement and concludes with a discussion of various quality initiatives that lead to better outcomes.
- Module 5 – Reviews the tools and resources needed to further functional outcomes improvement approaches to person-centered care.
Program Fees:
$199 AHCA/NCAL Member
$650 Non-member
6.5 NAB CE credits for administrators and 6.0 contact hours for nurses through the Iowa Board of Nursing.
Interested in group registration? Learn more here
Stand-alone webinars on topics related to deepening understanding of operating successfully under PDPM. These are offered a la carte from the subscription and are open to non-members.
Presented By: AHCA/NCAL
0 CEUs
There is roughly 1 CE per topic.
Topics include:
- Holistic Person-Centered Care Planning
- Getting Older is not for the Weak: An Evidence-Based Approach for Improving Mobility*
- Effective Care Transitions at Admission and Discharge*
- Trend Tracker and Other Sources to Monitor Quality Impact of PDPM*
- Identifying and Managing Residents with Complex Nursing and NTA Needs*
- Restorative Nursing and Skilled Maintenance Nursing and Therapy*
- Medical Director’s Role in the SNF PDPM World*
- It’s Called the Patient Driven Payment Model for a Reason*
Program Fees:
$150 AHCA/NCAL Member
$650 Non-member
*CEs available now
Paid Dining Assistant Train the Trainer Program
Presented By: HCANJ/NJHA/LANJDE
The New Jersey Department of Health approved a paid dining assistant curriculum for use by nursing homes in 2018. A clinical team made up of members from NJHA, HCANJ and LeadingAge NJ designed the curriculum for the implementation of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Federal Tag F-811 and 42 CFR 432.160 related to the use of paid dining assistants in nursing homes. The federal regulations give each state the flexibility to allow nursing homes to use dining assistants to supplement the services of nursing staff if their use is consistent with state law, and if the dining assistants successfully complete a state-approved training program.
This program is intended to train the primary instructors of paid dining assistants in nursing homes. The primary instructor must be a registered nurse with previous long-term care experience and a current New Jersey license. Ideally, the curriculum would be taught with other team members such as a registered dietitian, licensed physical, speech, and/or occupational therapist, and/or a licensed social worker.
The goal of the program is to provide individualized, safe eating and drinking assistance for residents who are not complex or at risk.
Objectives of this training module:
• Ensure that students learn the regulatory requirements associated with dining in nursing homes
• Ensure that students understand the broader background in regulation related to resident rights, choice, privacy, quality of life, abuse/neglect.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills
• How to provide assistance for residents who have different levels of independence with eating.
• Identify the purpose, benefits and steps of the dining assistant program.
• Identify OSHA safety requirements including right to know and safety data sheets.
• Understand the chain of infection.
• Learn the causes of foodborne illness and safe food handling techniques.
• Understand environmental hazards and risks.
• Learn facility emergency procedures.
Target audience:
Nurses, dietitians, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists and others who will be involved in teaching the curriculum.
Infection Prevention & Control in the Post-COVID-19 World
Presented By: AHCA/NCAL
3 CEUs
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the health care industry to its core. Infection prevention and control practices have been challenged at every corner. This course will review how COVID-19 spreads, how to track and report the illness including the regulatory requirements for infection prevention and control. It will review the basics of infection prevention and control practices and will look at the future of infection prevention and control. The course will describe the process for cohorting and utilizing testing to inform cohorting practices. It will look at how to conduct self-assessment processes to continually evaluate and improve the infection prevention and control program in long-term care centers. Lastly, the course will review the process and necessity of screening practices and notifications to residents, families, and their representatives including the importance of communication.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the biology and spread of COVID-19
- Explain the regulatory requirements
- Discuss tracking illness and reporting to States/NHSN
- Identify steps for monitoring staff use of PPE, TBC, and handwashing
- Describe the process of cohorting
- Discuss using ICAR to conduct self-assessment
- Explain the process and necessity for screening visitors
- Discuss notifying residents, families, and resident representatives
- Review infection prevention and control in the post-COVID-19 world
3.0 NAB approved CEs and 3 contact hours for nurses through the Iowa Board of Nursing will be awarded upon successful completion of the quiz.
Intended Audience:
Nurses, Administrators, Nursing Home Leadership/Management (Clinical & Non-Clinical Leaders)
Cost:
$199 AHCA/NCAL members
$249 general public/ non-members
Person-Centered Care In A PDPM World
Presented By: AHCA/NCAL
5.25 CEUs
This four-module course is designed to improve person-centered care for post-acute care (short stay) residents under the PDPM payment system. Since the PDPM model was a wholesale shift in payment and delivery, initial training mechanisms focused on the new system components. Now that those immediate change needs have been adopted, education and training on best practices for implementing person-centered care should be reviewed to fully adopt CMS’s vision for the PDPM model. This course will define person-centered care and show how it is a key feature in PDPM and when implemented can improve care practices that lead to better patient outcomes.
Designed to be appropriate for all facility staff, the first 3 modules can be done as a team or individuals. The final module consists of role-specific course content for either administrators, clinical professionals (Nursing/Rehab therapies), Nursing Assistants, or other essential facility staff. The presentation modules and accompanying fact sheets, and either team exercise or case studies, are designed to promote team application of the concepts into their clinical practice and to elevate person-centered care throughout the organization.
Course Objectives: Upon completion, the learner will be able to:
1. Recognize how person-centered care is the core of the PDPM payment model.
2. Define the core components of person-centered care.
3. Consider best practices to incorporate person-centered care into everyday interactions and care plans for short-stay residents.
4. Identify tools to assess person-centered care practices.
5. Review the key components of teamwork and communication required for person-centered care.
6. Review of activities and other programs that can impact facility-wide adoption of person-centered care.
Cost:
$350 AHCA/NCAL Members
$650 Non-members
Discounts are available when registering five or more individuals.
Continuing Education:
5.25 NAB approved CEs are available upon completion and 4.0 contact hours for nurses through the Iowa Board of Nursing.
Need assistance? Email educate@ahca.org
Two Mindfulness Trainings to Foster Staff Retention
Presented By: AHCA/NCAL
The workforce crisis and COVID-19 have exacerbated the demands and pressures faced by staff creating even more challenges for those who work in long-term care. AhcancalED is launching two new trainings focused on self-care and resiliency to help long-term care staff cope with the stresses they face.
Self-care is an essential and purposeful staff retention strategy. The mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques taught in these two courses net tangible results and support employees in what they do best – caring for others
- Improving Staff Resiliency and Retention: An Action Plan that Works is an in-depth course that provides the tools and resources needed to decrease stress levels and help other team members do the same. After attending this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify stressful situations within their environment.
- Employ stress reduction techniques that work.
- Decrease their overall perceived stress levels.
3.50 NAB CEs and 3.0 contact hours through the Iowa Board of Nursing.
$199 for AHCA/NCAL members and $249 for non-members.
- Self-Care: The Secret to Surviving! is an abbreviated course meant for frontline staff struggling with daily work and life stresses. The session includes an interactive quiz to help individuals measure their stress levels followed by strategies that can be individualized to cope with that stress. Managers and supervisors are encouraged to make this course available to staff members experiencing stress and to use it as preventative tool to help employees cope with stress.
$25 for AHCA/NCAL members and $65 for non-members. This 34-minute learning session does not come with CEs.