Webinars

Conversations with Carmen: Upcoming events

Join our very own culture change pundit Carmen Bowman, MHS, on her monthly web talk show. Actually, it's even better than a talk show because you too can join the conversation by asking questions of Carmen and her guests. Carmen's smart look at culture change focuses on a wide variety of topics. She brings an insider's view of regulations, and reports on little changes happening in government, in attitude, in practice. Each month she will share culture change news and updates, amusing and heartwarming stories, and interview a guest on a relevant and timely topic. Check back throughout the year as we announce the topics for 2013.

 

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Friday, May 17, 2013

 

Topic: A QAPI and Compliance Approach to Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls

Second in a 6 month series on Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls

Guest: Matt Younger

Administrator, Section for Long-Term Care Regulation, Missouri Dept. of Health & Senior Services

 

Our conversation will revolve around looking at root cause analysis and quality assurance / process improvement as they pertain to regulatory compliance and alternatives to alarms. We will review how and why alarms are falling out of favor among both researchers and regulators and how alarm usage can invite additional scrutiny during survey. We will also analyze whether alarms can conceivably be a restraint in some cases and potentially meet CMS’ own definition of convenience at Tag F221 Restraints.

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Friday, June 21, 2013

 

Topic:  Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls by Engaging with Life

Third in a 6 month series on Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls

Guest: Theresa Laufmann, RN

Co-DON Oakview Terrace, SD – an alarm-free home for 6 years

This conversation will focus on how Oakview Terrace has remained alarm free for 6 years. Co-DON Theresa Laufmann poses “would you rather have a person or an impersonal device?” Alarms cause immobility and immobility causes much harm thus Theresa teaches “the benefits of moving far outweigh the risks of falling.” Hear how they did it and how they have stood strong in the face of questioning: from surveyors, from families and even from each other.  Hear also from Theresa and hostess Carmen Bowman about the book they co-authored just published by Action Pact: Alarms: The New Deficient Practice?  Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls by Engaging with Life.
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Friday, July 19, 2013

Topic:  Regulatory Support for the Elimination of Alarms

Fourth in a 6 month series on Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls

Guest: Diana Weiland, RN

Public Health Advisor for the Office of Licensure and Certification

This conversation will highlight the value of a comprehensive assessment as required by Tag F272 and a comprehensive care plan as required by Tag F279 in knowing a person well, knowing an alarm causes them stress and even to fall.  Regulator Diana Wieland and former regulator hostess Carmen Bowman will discuss the many federal requirements that actually call for alarm elimination: Tag F252 Homelike environment; Tag 258 Comfortable sound levels; Tag F221 Physical Restraints including CMS’ own definition of convenience, even Tag F323 Preventing accidents which states alarms were meant to be temporary and do not prevent falls. Hear more from hostess Carmen Bowman about the book she recently co-authored and just published by Action Pact: Alarms: The New Deficient Practice? Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls by Engaging with Life.
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Friday, Aug. 16, 2013

Topic: The Key to Alarm Elimination and Proactive Prevention of Falls: Relationships

Fifth in a 6 month series on Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls

Guest: Leslie Pedtke

Administrator Aviston Countryside Manor and developer of Through the Looking Glass staff experience of living in a nursing home

The Aviston team credits being alarm free for 3 years to their focus on building relationships; if a person works only to get a paycheck they will not care about the negative effects alarms cause to those sitting on them. Aviston’s other keys to alarm elimination are dedicated staffing, shift-to-shift communication by all care team members, and diligent fall investigation. Aviston has discovered that by virtue of eliminating alarms care team members become more proactive in preventing falls and stress is decreased for both those living and working in the home. Leslie Pedkte shows that the factors to falls are basic needs: when we’re thirsty we get up, when the phone rings we get up, when we need the bathroom we get up. Hear more from hostess Carmen Bowman about the book she recently co-authored just published by Action Pact: Alarms: The New Deficient Practice? Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls by Engaging with Life.
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Friday, Sept. 20, 2013

Topic: Eliminating Alarms and Proactively Preventing Falls by Engaging with Life

Sixth in a 6 month series on Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls

Guest: Jennifer Crimmins,

Administrator Friendship Haven, Fort Dodge, Iowa

Hear from the Friendship Haven team who has only begun eliminating alarms and immediately experienced a reduction in falls: from 86 in Q4 2012 to only 42 in Q1 2013. Friendship Haven dug into why one is falling, proactive approaches and identifying “life activities” for each person. Engage your own creativity as we discuss ways for all staff to engage each individual with real life and in so doing, eliminate the use of such impersonal devices while developing individual fall prevention strategies instead. Hear more about this from hostess Carmen Bowman who has coached Friendship Haven and recently co-authored the just published Action Pact book: Alarms: The New Deficient Practice? Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls by Engaging with Life.

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COST:  $99 PER SITE (per show)

Fit as many people as you can around your computer monitor,

or project it on the wall and fill a room.

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Carmen's sessions are held the third Friday of every month at 12 noon Mountain time (11 am Pacific, 1 pm Central and 2 pm Eastern) and run about an hour each. To sign up, just click on the "To Register"  button and pay online with your credit card through Paypal.  Be sure to provide a valid email address so you can receive instructions on how to join the webinar. You can also register by calling our offices at (414) 258-3649.

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