Small Changes, Big Impact

Welcome to our first AALTCN (American Association for Long Term Care Nursing) spotlight issue! These issues will be produced quarterly, with the next one making its way to your mailbox this October. AALTCN special issues include articles written by AALTCN members on practical long-term care (LTC) topics. This month’s issue contains AALTCN articles on dental hygiene and safe resident handling. Collectively, the articles in this month’s issue demonstrate that implementing seemingly small changes can have a big impact.

In the first AALTCN article, “The Biggest Wound: Oral Health in Long-Term Care Residents,” Shirley Gutkowski, RDH, BSDH, FACE, discusses the importance of good oral hygiene among LTC residents. She notes that neglecting oral care results in pocketing of the gums and production of an oral biofilm that contains many pathogens, which can cause numerous health problems, from accelerating tooth decay to increasing the risk for pneumonia. Unfortunately, oral care is often neglected in the elderly, and the resultant periodontal disease can be considered the equivalent of a wound the size of an adult’s palm. Ms. Gutkowski advocates educating nursing assistants on the importance of oral care, which has historically been treated as a cosmetic issue. She also notes that dental hygienists should be involved in the oral care of residents as much as possible so that the oral biofilm is removed more frequently. Ensuring that your residents’ oral care needs are being properly addressed is important, as it may help preserve their quality of life and their dignity.      

In the second AALTCN article, “Safe Resident Handling Programs: Benefits and Strategies to Strengthen Practice,” Betty Z. Bogue, RN, BSN, discusses the importance of implementing safe resident handling programs in LTC facilities. As she notes, individuals residing in nursing homes often have mobility issues, requiring caregivers to mobilize them. To prevent injuries to staff, handling equipment should be used, but to prevent injuries and potential death to patients, safe handling practices must be in place. Educating LTC providers on the proper use of handling equipment and implementing safety protocols can have a big impact on job satisfaction among dependent-care workers and on preserving the well-being of LTC residents.

This month we are also introducing a new article category: Practical Research. The first article to fall under this category, “Aqua WOW: Creating Healthy Choices at Medication Pass Times,” outlines how switching from juice to flavored water at medication pass times at one facility had numerous benefits, including reduced waste, costs savings of $40,241 annually, weight stabilization among residents, task elimination for nursing and dietary staff, and reduced concern of dental plaque accumulating after medication pass times. In addition, staff and resident surveys indicated overall satisfaction with the switch, demonstrating that a seemingly small change can have numerous benefits.

What do you think of changes we’ve made to Annals of Long-Term Care: Clinical Care and Aging this month? Did you like our first AALTCN spotlight issue? Was the practical research article useful? If you are interested in submitting any of your practical research findings to us, be sure to review our Author Guidelines.

Thank you for reading!