On a day-to-day basis, the DNS can become so busy with staff and resident care that they completely lose track of employee files. However, the DNS is often either directly responsible for or works with human resources to manage employee files. Compiling and maintaining these files needs to be a priority in order to stay in compliance with survey requirements, avoid legal hurdles, and have a reference of past behavior when it’s time to evaluate or promote staff.

To keep these important documents up to date, here’s what the DNS should know about employee files:

One in four nursing assistants and one in five home health aides report that they are actively looking for another job. That’s a lot of unhappy employees.

This turnover comes at a high price for facilities. It costs an estimated $2,200 to replace a nursing assistant or home care worker, according to the Recruitment and Retention Guide For Employers by PHI (formerly the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute).

Moreover, frustration in the workplace can be contagious; unsatisfied staff members have a negative impact on residents and their peers alike.

There are books and guides devoted to programs for staff retention. Better hiring processes, rewards systems, and staff training can yield positive returns for facilities—but overhauling an entire program can feel daunting for busy nurse managers.

Here are four simple ways to promote staff retention, starting right where you are.

The QIES Technical Support Office has updated its Payroll-Based Journal Frequently Asked Questions.

UPDATE 1/08/19: The electronic versions of the Nurse and Management Assessment have been updated.

Toolkit 1: Nursing Home Staff Competency Assessment

Quality care is complex. That’s why the CMPRP competency assessment helps nursing homes break down and self-examine some of the most important building blocks of quality care. Use the competency assessment to identify areas where your nursing home is doing well, versus where your facility might need support. Once you know where you need support, CMPRP can provide funding, technical assistance and learning opportunities to help address some of your facility’s toughest challenges, in order to offer the best possible care to your residents.

There are three competency assessments in print and electronic formats:

1) Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA)/Certified Medication Technicians (CMT)

2)Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LVN/LPN) and Registered Nurses (RN)

3) Assistant directors of nursing (ADON), directors of nursing (DON) and administrators.

Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) Policy Manual Updates, Notification to States and New Minimum Data Set (MDS) Census Reports

• Notification to States –

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will provide CMS Regional Offices (ROs) and State Survey Agencies with a list of facilities with potential staffing issues to support survey activities for evaluating sufficient staffing and improving resident health and safety.

• Updates in the PBJ Policy Manual and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – We are expanding the guidance on the meal breaks policy to ensure consistency. In addition, we are adding guidance regarding reporting hours for “Universal Care Workers.”

• Additional Technical Support for Facilities – New MDS-based census reports in the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting (CASPER) system.