Nurse-Driven Program Receives Grant to Improve Care for Older Adults

The Washington Department of Social and Health Services has awarded Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) at New York University (NYU) Rory Meyers College of Nursing a grant of more than $644,000 to enhance the quality of care for older adults living in Washington State nursing home communities, reports News-Medical . The three-year project is underwritten by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program, a national initiative to lower adverse events, improve staffing quality, and better dementia care in such places. The project will supply nurses and certified nursing assistants in 30 Washington State nursing communities with specialized education and leadership development training to deploy evidence-based care for seniors. Over 3,000 Washingtonians could potentially benefit. Nurse leaders at participating communities will take an eight-week online leadership training course and work with expert mentors to develop a quality improvement project concentrating on two clinical areas. NICHE mentors and faculty will then assist teams on site in implementing those action plans. Staff will also complete specialized continuing education classes on older adult care. "Research shows that NICHE organizations have improved outcomes, decreased costs, and reduced hospital readmissions, all of which have led to higher older adult and staff satisfaction," concludes NYU Meyers' Mattia Gilmartin.