Clinical Education

Setting up for LEAP Graduation

LEAP stands for Learn, Empower, Achieve, and Produce. LEAP is a culture change workforce model and a national initiative whose premise is that the task-oriented, medical model of care must be replaced with a model that is person-centered. The LEAP Program also "stresses that nurses must communicate more effectively with one another, especially in the care-planning process. Pride in being a gerontological nurse is encouraged. Self esteem in all nurse ranks, especially among licensed nursing assistants, is also of high importance."

I Care is a resident-focused program aimed at the prevention of abuse and neglect. This program has a focus on the importance of preventing caregiver stress, defining and respecting caregiver boundaries, and the importance of self care. Particular emphasis on discovering the root cause of behaviors is explored.

HPNA stands for Hospice Palliative Nursing Assistants and is a six-week course with the learning objective of educating nursing assistants on the resident and family needs of end-of-life care. Nursing assistants learn about the standards of care and the competencies expected for the delivery of end-of-life care by nursing assistants.

QBS, or Quality Behavioral Solutions, is a program that provides education and techniques for long term care staff who work with residents with behavioral symptoms. The techniques help to prevent staff and resident injury and promote non-pharmacological interventions and responses to resident behaviors.

Safe Resident Handling

NHVH has developed an injury-free lifting program.

• To improve working conditions by reducing the incidence of back fatigue, back injuries, and other injuries.
• To maintain high levels of resident dignity and quality of care.
• To standardize all lifting procedures and to provide the equipment and necessary training to lift safely.
• To protect residents and staff from injury.

Dementia Care: The Life Enhancement Dementia Unit is an integrated 100-bed Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia unit providing veterans with a sense of home by maximizing independence with an emphasis on success, and suspending pre-conceived social and institutional rules. All nursing staff are educated at orientation and competency tested yearly on best practice for caring for residents with dementia.