Strengthening Communication & Problem Solving
Strengthening Communication & Problem-Solving Competencies for CNAs consists of six one-hour in-service training sessions for facility-based Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs).
The goal is to help CNAs provide better care for residents in long-term care facilities, by developing core competencies of communications and problem-solving skills that will provide them with concrete tools to respond to resident’s needs and preferences.
Introduction for Instructors
The “Introduction for Instructors” is a guide for delivering the curricula and should be used by instructors in preparing for the training. Each unit includes two files (1) curriculum (2) handouts.
Unit 1. Introduction to Resident-Centered Care and Active Listening
This first unit provides an overview of resident-centered care. Participants consider what resident-centered care would mean to them if they were residents. Then they are introduced to guidelines for resident-centered care from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 revisions. Unit 1 also introduces the use of communication skills to support resident-centered care, focusing on active listening. Role plays are presented to demonstrate the use of body language to support active listening.
Unit 2. Active Listening: Paraphrasing
Unit 2 continues building active listening skills, with a focus on paraphrasing. Through a demonstration role play, participants learn what paraphrasing is and how it can be used to support resident-centered care—by letting residents know that they are listening and by checking for understanding of what the resident has said. Participants also practice paraphrasing sample statements.
Unit 3. Active Listening: Asking Open-Ended Questions
In Unit 3, participants learn about a third active listening skill—asking open-ended questions. They explore the differences between closed and open-ended questions, both in terms of how the questions are asked and the impact they can have on the conversation. Participants then practice creating open-ended questions to see how it can enhance resident-centered care, by encouraging residents to express their needs and preferences.
Unit 4. Managing Emotions: Pulling Back
In Unit 4, participants learn about the skill of pulling back. They explore how responding emotionally in stressful situations can make it harder to listen well and how pulling back can lead to more respectful communications and more effective problem-solving. Participants identify strategies for pulling back and situations in which they can use those strategies to enhance resident-centered care.
Unit 5. The Exploring Options Approach to Problem-Solving
Unit 5 introduces a person-centered model for problem-solving—“The Exploring Options Approach.” This approach involves:
- Clarifying what the problem is from the point of view of the resident, the CNA, and the organization.
- Identifying important issues that need to be addressed from each point of view.
- Brainstorming possible solutions to address the important issues.
- Considering which option (or combination of options) would work best to solve the problem from all three points of view.
This approach to problem-solving is particularly appropriate for resident-centered care because it emphasizes the perspective of the resident in all the steps.
Unit 6. Giving Constructive Feedback
In Unit 6, participants consider the importance of teamwork in resident-centered care, through a small-group activity. They then learn about constructive feedback and guidelines for giving constructive feedback. Participants practice giving constructive feedback through case scenarios and consider its impact on teamwork and resident-centered care.
This curriculum was developed for The SCAN Foundation as part of a series of continuing education curricula for California’s direct-care workforce. The geriatric-focused curricula, which are based on adult learning principles, will support the workforce by enhancing and developing knowledge and skills to provide care.
To download the curriculum free of charge, visit The SCAN Foundation’s site. Once you’ve registered your email and information, click on “Strengthening Communication and Problem-Solving Competencies for CNAs” or any of the other curricula provided as part of this series.
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