Accreditation Essay

Nursing homes and assisted facility homes are all examples of long term care facilities. These facilities are usually targeting individuals who are of geriatric age or need around the clock care (mental health and physical health). The residents in these communities have access to individually-tailored levels of individual or group-centered activities, programs, and assistance whether it is with home or personal care. Long term care facilities are generally for those who are unable to manage independently in the community. Specific types of long-term services include nursing homes, hospice care, home health agencies, and residential care facilities. The goal of these programs is to make sure each patient has a safe and comforting environment

American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) was founded in 1988 to provided education and professional certification to physician-based medical coders and to elevate the standards of

Nightingale Community Hospital (NCH), like many other health care facilities, uses a Periodic Performance Review (PPR) as an assessment tool that assists in examining performance on a consistent basis to ensure compliance with Joint Commission standards. A PPR concentrates attention on procedures, methods, and processes that contribute an environment that provides for proper care and emphasizes patient safety. NCH has shown to be 100% compliant with the majority of standards including: Infection Prevention and Control, Right and Responsibilities to Patients, Human Resources, Transplant

According to the National Center for Assisted Living, (2001) assisted living facilities are typically “stand-alone” facilities, but can often be a part of another facility within the long term continuum of care such as a nursing home, senior housing complex, retirement community, or independent living apartments. Assisted living facilities are different in appearance than nursing homes and other facilities in that they tend to offer a more home-like environment. These residences may be condominiums, a residential house, or apartments with personalized decorations and room layouts. They typically offer common areas for dining and activities. Approximately half of ALF’s are non-profit, with the other half being for-profit facilities. Very few assisted living facilities are government run. Because licensing regulations vary from state to state, ALF’s can be known by various names including residential care, board and care, domiciliary care, personal care etc. Assisted living facilities offer different levels of care depending on the amount of assistance the resident requires. Most of these providers are licensed at level three, which means they can accept patients with low, moderate, or high care needs (University of Maryland,

The APRN Consensus Model was released in July of 2008 to define advanced practice registered nurse, identify the titles to be used by APRNs, and define specialty area of practice. The Consensus Model also describes population foci, suggests a process for recognition of new APRN roles, and recommends requirements for implementation (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2010). The APRN regulatory model helps uniform scope of practice of APRN across the United States, which benefit individual APRN, enhance patient outcomes, and improve the quality of care. Consensus Model consists of Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education. The Education criteria in LACE Consensus Model relate to all APRN programs regardless of master’s or doctoral

ACNPs have been propelled to the forefront as health care providers for the acute & critically ill as a response to a mandated eighty-hour weekly work limit for physician residents. The Accreditation Council

Types and number of staff that this facility needs, and the rationale for this. How these needs differ in facilities that attend to different long-term care populations

All accredited educational programs include didactic learning that includes advanced assessment, pharmacology and pathophysiology and clinical experience gained through rotations and preceptorship. APN’s complete master’s degrees or post master’s programs in preparation for certification. Certification is granted by The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Certifications are earned in adult and family, acute care, pediatrics, psychiatric, gerontology and women’s healthy specialties. APN’s are licensed by individual state boards of nursing and they are certified in advanced specialty areas. APN’s have prescriptive authority in all 50 states and can practice without direct physician supervision in several states. They work in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, schools, colleges and urgent care facilities. APN’s must recertify every five years with 1000 hours of clinical practice and 75 continuing education hours in the area of

In order for a hospital to be eligible for reimbursement through Medicare, they have to show that they are compliant by way of the Conditions of Participation. One way to show this is by getting an accreditation through The Joint Commission who meets the Medicare Condition of Participation standards. (La Tour, 2013).

There are 9 types of health care facilities that are accredited by the Joint Commission. The Ambulatory Health Care accreditation, encompassing organizations and facilities that provide outpatient services of medical/dental nature as well as diagnostic, surgical, and therapeutic services. Other types of facilities that are accredited are critical access hospitals, hospitals, laboratories, office-based surgical centers, and nursing care centers. There is also Home Care services, the Opioid Treatment Program, and the Behavioral Health Care Program. Critical Access Hospitals meet special requirements regarding patient beds and LOS. Hospitals that are accredited include general and specialty hospitals.

JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) Joint Commission Standards. 2000. Retrieved from www.jcaho.org/standard/jcstandards.html

Communication, this is the key focus area that is evaluated in this summary. Communication is a key focus area of the joint commission audit and is also a key area in which Nightingale Community can make enhancements. Communications must be a two way free flow of information. The information exchanges occur between providers, staff, and patients or clients. This was an area that needed improvement was noted in the previous accreditation audit. Some noted prior issues from 2 years ago included patient and family education and information not being properly disseminated to the nursing staff. These are areas where we have targeted and currently meet. Some areas that we continue to work on are as follows.

Consensus Model for APRN Regulation has 4 components: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education It supports goals of the ANCC APRN certification process and will align the inter-relationships among licensure, accreditation, certification, and education to create a more uniform practice across the country. Its aim is to improve consistency and clarity and take APRNs to the next level and also enhance patient care (“American Nurses Credentialing Center," 2015)

In conclusion, it can be very beneficial for a long term care facility to be Joint Commission accredited. Having this accreditation is a sense of assurance to patients/residents, the families, and to the facility itself. Quality and safety is a key factor in the structure of business for

The HR department ensures that the various departments within the hospital are current with all laws, regulations, accreditations, and policies. There are a number of credentials necessary in order for St. James to function. The hospital is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association/Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program and is the first in the area to be accredited by the American Diabetes Association (Franciscan Alliance, 2015). It