KYIQ BEST PRACTICES AWARD

Awarded by the Kentucky Initiative for Quality Nursing Home Standards

The KYIQ Best Practices Award is an Annual Award that is presented in recognition of exemplary best practices that serve as a model for other nursing homes to adopt in order to enhance the quality of care that is provided to all residents.  This Annual Award is presented by an independent citizen’s advocacy organization that is not affiliated with any nursing home, and it is based on an objective set of criteria as set out below. 

To be eligible for consideration, a nursing home facility first must have earned for three consecutive months either an overall 4 or 5 rating in the HHS 5-Star Rating Program, or received at least two 4 or 5 Star ratings in two subcategories (one of which is “Staffing”).  A nursing home that wishes to be considered for the KYIQ Best Practices Award should log onto our website (www.kyiqnursinghome.org), and make such a request on the KYIQ Contact Us Link. 
 

BEST PRACTICES CRITERIA

Continuity of Care

· Direct Care Nurse and CNA staff turnover rate that is less than 101%.

o   Number of Direct Care Nurses and CNAs employed more than 1 year.

· PPD Ratio that is 3.5 or better.

· Documented procedures that address “call-offs” and “no-shows.”

· Zero use of Agency staffing in last 12 months.

· Use of Agency staffing for less than 40 shifts in last 12 months.

· Consistent assignment of direct care staffing assignment on a floor or wing.

· Practice with regard to posting 24-hour nurse and CNA schedule.

Training

· Orientation Training for Direct Care Nurses.

· Orientation Training for Direct Care CNAs.

· Orientation Training for Agency and PRN Nurses.

· Continuing Training for Direct Care Nurses.

· Continuing Training for Direct Care CNAs.

· Competency Evaluation Program for Direct Care Nurses.

· Competency Evaluation Program for Direct Care CNAs.

· CNA Certification Program.

· CNA Clinical Training Program.

Deficiencies

· Assessment of seriousness of “Cited Deficiencies” (nothing higher than

one “G”) during the last 24 months. 

Family Support

· Role of Family/Resident Council and interface with nursing home staff.

· Use of Family/Resident/Employee Surveys.

· Procedures that Address Family/Resident Complaints.

· Participation of Ombudsperson and Social Worker in Nursing Home Activities.  
 

Additional Workplace, Care, Environmental and Innovative Practices  
 

· Participation in Quality Improvement Community.

· Participation in Person Centered Care Initiative.

o   Workplace Practices.

o   Care Practices.

o   Environmental Practices.

· Innovative Dining Room Initiatives and/or Meal Selections.

· Support for Bi-lingual Needs.

·  Initiatives that address cognitive deficiencies of residents

· Other Practices, Programs, and Initiatives that exemplify “Best Practices.” 

      Best Practices Programs and Initiatives that have been submitted to the State Ombudsman  Database.

      Best Practices Training and Assistance provided to other Nursing Home Facilities.

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NOTE 1:  An “immediate jeopardy” citation may serve as “just cause” for revocation of the Annual Award.

NOTE 2:  The KYIQ Website provides a means for any Nursing Home Facility to share its Best Practices with other Nursing Homes, and the KYIQ Group will ensure that all such submitted Best Practices are forwarded to the State Ombudsman Database.

NOTE 3:  The KYIQ Group recognizes that there may be some Nursing Homes in Kentucky that have implemented laudable Best Practices, but are concerned that if they ask to be reviewed and considered for recognition by the KYIQ Group, and are not so recognized, they will receive negative publicity.   Negative publicity never was nor ever will be the intent of the KYIQ Best Practices Award.   The singularly unique purpose of the KYIQ Best Practices Award is to recognize, highlight and share throughout the entire Nursing Home Industry those “Best Practices” that have been implemented and shown to improve the quality of care provided to all residents in Nursing Homes.  That is why the “focus” of the KYIQ Group is on the “POSITIVE,” rather than on any negatives.  To that end, the KYIQ Group does not publish the names of any Facility that was determined not to meet the criteria for receipt of the KYIQ Best Practices Award.

NOTE 4:  The KYIQ Group further recognizes that anomalies and “outlier” occurrences may occasionally occur in the operation of even the very best Nursing Homes.  That is why the criteria for the Best Practices Award accommodates isolated anomalies, such  as when  the KYIQ Best practices Award was presented  to a Nursing Home that had received an overall “2” rating.   Additionally, when a Nursing Home does not initially meet the criteria for receipt of the KYIQ Best Practices Award, the KYIQ Group will privately explain to the Administrator of the Nursing Home “Why.” Should that Nursing Home appropriately address the “Why,” the KYIQ Group will, upon invitation, return to the Nursing Home for a follow-up review, and when appropriate, will present the KYIQ Best Practices Award to that Nursing Home.  Again, the goal of the KYIQ Group is to improve the quality of care provided to all nursing home residents by giving recognition to those Nursing Homes that have implemented Best Practices and have sustained those Best Practices.