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No one should require training to know not to hit, intentionally hurt, or humiliate another person. Yet staff training can be an important tool in preventing nursing home abuse and neglect.
Why Staff Training Is Important
Staff training can prevent nursing home abuse and neglect in a few different ways. For example, required staff training can:
- Set the tone for the nursing home. By reviewing policies and procedures with all staff members at least annually, the culture of the nursing home may change. Staff members should understand that no abuse or neglect will be tolerated.
- Give staff members coping mechanisms for frustration. Nursing home staff members have hard jobs. They may become frustrated or overwhelmed. Staff training sessions can provide practical solutions for staff so that they do not take out their frustration on residents.
- Set the expectation of reasonable care. Staff members should understand what is expected of them. While nursing home abuse is often intentional, nursing home neglect can occur without intent to hurt anyone. Thus, reviewing basic care procedures and making job responsibilities clear can help prevent nursing home neglect.
Of course, these trainings must be mandatory and meaningful in order for them to have results.
And State Regulations Require Staff Trainings
States require that some nursing home training occur. Specifically, training is required in:
- Wisconsin. Wisconsin regulations require that all new staff be provided training (absent an emergency situation) and that all staff who provide direct care to residents have ongoing education “as often as is necessary to enable staff to acquire the skills and techniques necessary to implement the individual program plans for each resident under their care.”
- Illinois. The Illinois Administrative Code requires the nursing home administrator to have the facility’s supervisors attend “appropriate educational programs…” annually. The law also requires new employee training and ongoing training or all employees, at least annually. Even the training of volunteers must include the topic of residents’ rights.
- Iowa. Iowa law requires the administrator of each nursing home to make sure that all department heads have at least ten hours of educational programming each year, that organized and ongoing in-service programs be provided to all personnel in all departments, and that written personnel policies be established.
Nursing homes are always welcome to do more than is mandated by law and should take reasonable steps to provide adequate training to avoid nursing home abuse.
It is important to find out the cause of the nursing home abuse or neglect if you believe that your loved one may have been hurt. For more information about how to find out that information or how to protect your loved one’s rights, please start a live chat with us now or call us directly at 1-800-800-5678.
