Congratulations to our LiveWell Graduates!
— WE CELEBRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO TEAM EXCELLENCE —
Yesterday, 33 staff from five Hearth & Truss communities successfully completed the most recent LiveWell Method™ training during our Fall-Winter Learning Collaborative. Their commitment to improving the quality of care for residents and staff alike led every team to make significant progress:
Teams created community quality boards to establish, track, and communicate progress on key performance metrics — the first LiveWell foundational practice
They began to huddle at every shift change — the second foundational practice — which ensures the kind of good communication that builds staff morale and team performance
Their teams practiced improving resident safety by empowering all staff to report on any residents' change of condition using the Resident Safety at a Glance (RSAG) form— the final of three foundational practices!
These teams improved and got more connected. They also earned up to 16 hours of training/CEU credits each. Whitney Beck and Cecilia Owsley, the LiveWell coaches for this cohort, also deserve our congratulations for their excellent facilitation.
— HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS —
Applegate Place: ED Regan Tucker's team created a community quality board to track antibiotic use, alert charting, and record falls. With the board up and running, Regan observed:
“Everything’s getting better all the time without me having to nag. I’ve heard multiple people say they like to know who’s on the schedule for today, who will be relieving them, and who they’re doing shift change with. When we put measures on the board, ...things get better, like falls. They’re going down! We’re also tracking alerts for every shift, and no one wants to be the one who has to color in the day red. So everyone is taking accountability. We’ve never had that before.”
Regan added that they’ve included move-ins and appointments to the "What’s Happening" section of the quality board. Now all staff know what’s going on during every shift – including maintenance, housekeeping, and dietary staff. Recently, when a prospective resident visited with a family member, the entire staff knew and felt proud that they created a great first impression. The information was on the community quality board and they discussed it ahead of time during their huddle.
Tabor Crest I: ED Lacra Radulescu, RN, loves the Resident Status at a Glance (RSAG) foundational practice. She put the RSAG forms in multiple places throughout the care community she serves. Lacra said, “The form makes it easy for any staff member to identify a change of condition and give it to a med aide. If it’s a big problem, they’ll call me at night, but otherwise, I take a look at them in the morning. It’s so helpful!”
Spring Meadows: This team began by tracking medication errors and residents' dining experiences. They also used compliment cards to build staff morale and encourage teamwork. They prioritized resident safety and wellness by putting Resident Safety at a Glance (RSAG) forms around the community so that fellow staff members can report on any resident's change of condition. Recently, the team voted to track unplanned staff absence next.
Tabor Crest II: After first tracking call-outs, the team will track falls and resident activities. They’ve also decided to focus on teamwork and communication – especially among Spanish and non-Spanish-speaking staff. Finally, they’re using the "Who Am I?" tool as a get-to-know-you game to build community and empathy.
RN Villa: This team has focused on the first foundational practice, the community quality board and its related tools, to create a visually creative board that really stands out. Way to go RN Villa!
Why should you join our Winter ‘23 cohort and do LiveWell?
In addition to complying with quality assurance standards, LiveWell helps retain staff and build community. Care communities that do LiveWell have a 60% decrease in staff turnover. LiveWell also improves the quality of life for staff and residents. Residents have fewer falls and fewer medication errors, and staff experience fewer workplace injuries.
LiveWell communities also reduce their costs: Reduced falls and increased staff retention help communities save an average of $135,900 annually.
Our LiveWell Practitioners Network is here! Join us on Slack to build community, receive and share helpful tips, and stay updated on industry research. All current and previous participants of the LiveWell Method are welcome to join our Network Slack channel. If you would like to join the network, please send an email to us at the link above!
Wishing your communities a happy and healthy 2023!
— Barbara, Steve, Andy, Marcus, Cecilia, Whitney, Ann, Miles, and Judy