Culture change in U.S. nursing homes is the subject of a feature article in the February 2010 issue of U.S. News & World Report.
The article, by U.S. News associate editor Sarah Baldauf, defines culture change as a movement that “focuses on listening to residents, creating an environment less like a nursing home and more like a real [home], and giving employees uncommon flexibility and freedom.”
On its website, U.S. News — which is famous for its annual list of the top colleges and universities in the U.S. — rates more than 15,000 nursing homes from around the country. Nursing homes committed to culture change ranked higher than those relying on more outdated methods of care.
What Is Culture Change?
The article describes the many facets of culture change, including:
- Consistent assignment for workers — caregivers work with the same residents each day, forming a strong bond with them
- Resident-focused scheduling — residents are given a great deal of flexibility in planning their daily routines
- Community-driven living settings — residents are organized into vibrant “neighborhoods” rather than a the sterile, hospital-like environment found in traditional nursing homes
- Empowered nursing home assistants who are encouraged to bring ideas to management and to make more day-to-day decisions with residents
All of these aspects of culture change add up to greater job satisfaction for workers and better care for residents, the article says. Bonnie Kantor, the executive director of the Pioneer Network, is quoted in the article as saying, “This is how care can and should be delivered.”
Why Culture Change Matters
Nursing assistants employed in culture-change homes typically report higher levels of job satisfaction than those working in nursing homes that aren’t committed to culture change. That’s because culture change focuses heavily on empowering nursing home assistants, the U.S. News article says.
“The most successful culture change efforts we have supported are with management teams who engage direct-care workers and other staff early and consistently in the change process,” said Susan Misiorski, leader of PHI’s Training and Organizational Development team, which coaches culture change efforts with providers throughout the country.
“This ensures the changes implemented will have meaningful impact on the quality of jobs in addition to improving care outcomes,” Misiorski said.
The PHI Coaching ApproachSM, PHI’s suite of training and organization development services, builds skills for implementing culture change in both residential and home and community-based settings.
– by Matthew Ozga
Related:
Culture Change in Action: Coaching Comes to Partners in Care
CMS Guidelines Call for Homelike Environments in Nursing Homes
