WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Health Care Association (AHCA) in partnership with the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) have launched a new training program for post-acute and long term care centers across the nation. The new program aims to provide education that will assist facility leaders in the implementation of a federal requirement on trauma-informed care (TIC) while improving quality of life and care for patients and residents. Trauma-informed care recognizes and responds to the signs, symptoms, and risks of trauma to better support the health needs of patients.
“The need for the health care community to utilize a trauma-informed approach to care has become even more important amidst the immense challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for our most vulnerable population,” said AHCA Senior Vice President of Quality, Regulatory and Clinical Services Holly Harmon, RN, MBA. “This new training is essential to better understand a person’s life experiences in order to inform how to deliver effective care, improve patient and family engagement, treatment, health outcomes, and overall wellness.”
“AAPACN felt it was important to partner with AHCA in developing education that provides knowledge about trauma, how to assess for trauma in residents, and strategies to prevent retraumatization,” said AAPACN Vice President of Education and Certification Strategy Amy Stewart, MSN, RN. “When staff understand the past and present life situations of residents, including any traumatic events, they are better able to develop a comprehensive plan of care to promote healing and recovery with avoiding trauma triggers.”
While TIC is a federal regulatory requirement for Medicare and Medicaid participating care centers, it is also a proven approach to care that requires specific staff competency as well as a system of care delivery to achieve the intent of the regulation and provide the necessary support to care for residents who may suffer from trauma.
Upon successful completion of the workshop, individuals will be able to:
- Define TIC and identify its six key principles
- Coordinate the IDT to design a process that supports collaboration for TIC
- Identify the necessary areas to implement TIC
“Trauma-Informed Care” is now available for long term and post-acute care staff on-demand on AHCA’s learning management system,
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ABOUT AHCA/NCAL
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represents more than 14,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers, and homes for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. By delivering solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to improve the lives of the millions of frail, elderly and individuals with disabilities who receive long term or post-acute care in our member facilities each day. For more information, please visit www.ahcancal.org.
ABOUT AAPACN
The American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) represents more than 15,000 post-acute care nurses and professionals working in more than 5,175 facilities. Dedicated to supporting PAC nurses and healthcare professionals in providing quality care, AAPACN offers members best in-class education, certification, resources, and strong collaborative communities. For more information, please visit https://www.aapacn.org/.