As we officially hit the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, we pause and reflect on what has certainly been a challenging year, especially for our most vulnerable population. While we can’t forecast the future, we can adapt and change to be successful as we continue to forge ahead.
Here are five areas to focus on in a post-pandemic world in order to help our organizations thrive and operate efficiently:
- Being Transparent
With non-stop evolving compliance changes, we have to identify challenges with these new compliances and address them before they turn into process problems. We also need to prove our efforts and results in order to keep families’ and residents’ trust and support. It is imperative that we invest in transparency and adopt it into our practices. - Applying Protective & Proactive Practices
As we start to adapt to these new "normals," we have to accept that a lot of these new protective and proactive practices will not disappear once COVID-19 is under control. We have to analyze current practices, identify breakdowns and correct them for permanent results - not quick fixes. - Engaging Staff
Post-pandemic staffing needs will not decrease. Unfortunately, job opportunities for nursing staff won’t decrease either. We have to focus on both collaboration of all departments and cross-training staff. In addition, we must make sure everyone is invested in resident care and safety. Engaging staff so they want to help their teammates as well as know how to assist while achieving compliance will be necessary for the future. - Using Data to Diagnose, Correct & Improve Outcomes
While collecting data is crucial, effectively using the data is just as important. It helps guide you to where your focus should be, eliminating time spent where it’s not needed. Data itself is not going to help you survive COVID-19 and the challenges following this year. But becoming knowledgeable at using data to diagnose, correct and improve problems will drive your outcomes. - Implementing Technology to Stay Ahead
While it may take time to sort through and embrace technology, it provides many advantages. Technology allows you to prioritize processes to help with positive outcomes and improved resident care. It also reduces complexity by automating or eliminating time-consuming tasks so you can instead focus on more resident interaction.
