Ohio Directors of Nursing Administration in Long Term Care (ODONA/LTC)

President's Letter - January 2008

Another year has come and gone. My mother always said the older you get the faster it goes, and was she ever right. Mothers always are aren't they? Anyway, it has been a year full of change. There was the redistricting of survey teams, and it does seem that depending on which district one might be in, so goes the survey. The basics seem to be the focus; pressure ulcers, falls and accidents, and weight loss. We are not hearing much about the QIS survey - rumor has it that it is too expensive and time consuming to be a viable option to the current process. Guess we will just have to wait and see what develops on that front. Do you know that the feds expect state surveyors to find 10 or more citations on an annual ODH survey? Most facilities have always had a commitment to quality of patient care and excellence in care giving. There are multiple programs and support systems out there to help us succeed in this endeavor; however, it sure seems like each year the cards are stacked a little more against long term care. But there is hope!!

The American Association for Long Term Care Nursing (AALTCN) established by Charlotte Eliopoulous and the American Association of Nurse Education (AANEX) are a couple that come to mind. ODONA supports both these organizations. The dues are very reasonable for the return information and support. There is even a DON certification course through AANEX and as I understand it, the AALTCN provides support through a facility membership that allows all nurses and other ancillary staff to access their website for information and support, and in addition you can belong to any other organization you want to without consequence. Isn't that great? I personally think both these organizations have a lot to offer.

Our first ever DON Boot Camp, held in November 2007, was an eye opener. It is very evident that a great need exists for support and education in this area. The turnout was larger than we expected and we apologize for having to turn some of you away, but we will do it again in the spring or summer. Feedback was very good. Thanks to the membership and other nurse managers around the state for all your support.

The ODONA Convention 2008 is coming up in February and we have a great agenda planned. Check out the convention information on this website for further details. Hope to see you all there! We had a great time in 2007 and this year will be as good or better. Thanks so much for your support of the DON organization, the one that is just for you, the nurse managers in long term care. Please feel free to contact the ODONA corporate office and let us know if you would be interested in becoming involved in the leadership of the organization. We welcome new people and new ideas!

Nancy George RNC
Director of Nursing
President ODONA/LTC

ODONA 2009 CONVENTION
MARCH 1, 2 & 3, 2009
Embassy Suites Dublin Hotel Columbus
Mark and save the dates!

ODONA Thanks Patron Members

Plante & Moran Clinical Group

Health Care Pharmacy

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