Product Description
High employee turnover is one of the greatest challenges facing long-term care communities today. Without consistent staffing, care communities and their residents suffer the serious consequences of inadequate care, unnecessary expenses, and inefficient operations. Enhancing Staff Retention in Person-Centered Care Environments for Older Adults outlines how long-term care administrators can reverse this pattern of damaging outcomes by developing, implementing, and maintaining an effective orientation program for all levels of staff.
Author Janine Lange, a clinical nurse educator, has standardized new employee orientation programs in many long-term care communities. Her experience and practical knowledge make this an indispensable resource. From defining the culture of a community to establishing an organization’s needs to skills testing and the evaluation process, this comprehensive guide covers the essential elements needed for a successful training program. Enhancing Staff Retention also stresses the importance of creating a mentorship program between new and existing employees and provides valuable insight into how to sustain such a program.
What can otherwise be the daunting task of creating and implementing an orientation program is simplified with many helpful tools, including:
- conversation starters and other communication techniques to enhance staff and resident interactions
- summary lists of key points for each step of the orientation process
- the 12 essential components of a comprehensive orientation program as well as the 5 common barriers
- 18 sample agendas, forms, and checklists, both in the book and available for download as PDFs
This critical resource for nursing home administrators, clinical education directors, directors of nursing, directors of human resources, and all staff involved with training will assist organizations in fostering a skilled, competent, and well-trained team of caregivers who demonstrate a lasting dedication to older adults.
Janine M. Lange, M.S.N., R.N.-B.C., is the author of Enhancing Staff Retention in Person-Centered Care Environments for Older Adults, which was awarded a 2016 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year award. She began her nursing career in Billings, Montana as a respite care volunteer for seniors in her community. She quickly developed a passion for caring for others, especially those with life-threatening illnesses, and became a registered nurse. After acquiring experience in the hospital setting, Lange devoted her nursing career to being a hospice nurse, having witnessed the loving care her father received from the nurses at a Veterans Health Administration hospital, where he succumbed to the ravages of lung cancer.
Administrator (verified owner) –
“Janine Lange is exceptional at capturing the spirit of culture change and ensuring new employees recognize and appreciate this philosophy. By integrating person-centered care into orientation, it has set the standard for creating purposeful life not only for the residents but for our employees.”
—Valerie Cooper, MA, LNHA-Executive Director, Lutheran Senior Services, Laclede Groves
Administrator (verified owner) –
“In our work, staff turnover and the inability to stay current with training are among the primary reasons that person-centered care falters and often fails. Orientation for new staff members that is couched in person-centered care philosophy is greatly needed. This guide is a step in the right direction for homes looking to change their culture. Lange provides practical information that can be easily implemented with any facility.”
—Gayle Doll, Director, Center on Aging, Kansas State University
Administrator (verified owner) –
“This book will help frame a person-centered approach to orientation, which will be critical as we continue with culture change and focusing our energies on retention and engagement in long-term care environments. The chapters on Mentoring and Defining the Culture are simple to follow and use across departments and various settings in long-term care. I look forward to using [this book] as a leadership training tool.”
—Jean Summers, Senior Vice President, Assisted Living Division, Americare Senior Living
Administrator (verified owner) –
“Janine Lange’s book brings attention to and, most importantly, offers solutions for the critical issue of retaining staff in care environments for older adults. Throughout the book the core elements of person-centered care (dignity, respect, and personal choice) are woven into discussion of how newly hired staff members become oriented to, and integrated into, a culture that recognizes that residents and staff are at the heart of these care environments. Clearly outlined steps for creating an orientation program to reduce staff turnover are presented in direct, easy-to-understand language. In this book, the author deftly describes an invaluable process that can contribute greatly to building and sustaining a culture of care.”
—Stephen Long, Ph.D., Author of Caring for People with Challenging Behaviors: Essential Skills and Successful Strategies in Long-Term Care, Second Edition
Administrator (verified owner) –
“The content [of this book] is informational for any community going through the focus of person-centered care, but more importantly is how applicable [author Janine Lange’s] suggestions and materials are. I believe, because Janine has been in long-term care for an extensive amount of time, and because she has been a director of nursing, this makes her suggested documents and support meaningful and real, not just additional reading for the director of nursing, who often do not have 1 minute to spare unless it will better their processes or the care of their residents. This is an inspiring read.”
—Jan Krug, Director of Nursing, Lutheran Senior Services, Meridian Village
Administrator (verified owner) –
“This book does an excellent job of breaking down the processes needed to develop an effective orientation program… [and] could serve as a valuable asset in nursing homes trying to retain staff while providing person-centered care.”
—Doody’s Book Review