Christian Health Care Center in Lynden is among 30 long-term care centers in the state of Washington chosen to participate in a special three-year program — one that provides advanced training to nurses and other team members while working to continuously improve the quality of care for older adults.
The Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders, or NICHE, project is funded by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It is led by nursing experts at New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing.
CHCC leaders were honored to be accepted into the program.
“The NICHE training program provides high-level education for nursing leaders at CHCC in support of improving the lives of all who live here,” said Tonja Myers, CHCC administrator. “We’re always looking for opportunities to provide additional knowledge and skills training for team members. This program will be a great fit.”
Nationwide, 550 long-term care centers are participating in the NICHE project.
As a first step, nursing leaders at CHCC are taking part in a specialized, eight-week leadership training program, working alongside NICHE faculty and mentors to develop methods for improving two clinical care areas here at CHCC. Those areas will then be addressed with the support of NICHE mentors.
In addition to the leadership training, other CHCC nursing staff are completing continuing education courses that deal specifically with the care of older adults, including such critical areas as preventing falls, assessing and managing pain, and identifying depression and dementia. Nursing assistants, for example, will be able to gain recognition as geriatric certified nursing assistants, while nurses can earn recognition as geriatric resource nurses.
The three-year NICHE training program will be added to the already robust educational opportunities available to team members at CHCC.
“Nursing homes play a critical role in ensuring the health and safety of frail elders with complex needs,” said Jennifer Pettis, associate director of the NICHE Long-Term Care Program at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, in announcing the program. “We are excited to collaborate with Washington nursing homes to arm nurses with leadership skills and evidence-based practices, which will allow them to provide the best possible care for the state’s aging population.”
Other organizations that have participated in this program have seen positive results, including improved patient outcomes, decreased costs, reduced hospital readmissions and increased satisfaction among older adults and staff.