Members of Muskoka Landing’s responsive behaviour team accepts the 2012 Quality Improvement Recognition Program Team award at the OLTCA/ORCA convention

Award winner surpasses goals to reduce responsive behaviours
Muskoka Landing team’s efforts recognized by OLTCA
Monday April 30, 2012 -- Lisa Bailey
Muskoka Landing’s award-winning responsive behaviour program team is a testament to collaboration and commitment to ongoing, resident-centred care.

The Jarlette Health Services home in Huntsville received the Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA) Quality Improvement Recognition Program Team of the Year award at the OLTCA/Ontario Retirement Communities Association’s annual convention this month.

“With the (award) win, there’s definitely an air of positivity throughout the home that what we do works and that team buy-in, dedication and perseverance does make a difference in the lives of others,” administrator Renee Vuksan says.

Evolving since 2009 in collaboration with the Residents First quality improvement initiative, the interdisciplinary team surpassed its goals last year.

Targeting a 50-per-cent reduction in staff injuries resulting from contact with residents exhibiting responsive behaviours, there were no documented injuries for eight months. As well, the number of responsive behaviours exhibited by residents during their bath and/or shower declined 66 per cent, exceeding the goal of 50 per cent.

Muskoka Landing had no transfers to hospital in 2011 due to responsive behaviours — a priority identified by the Local Health Integration Network.

A number of factors contributed to the award-winning effort, including increased staff education on the gentle persuasive approach (GPA) to care and using the PIECES tool. Team member and registered nurse Janice Launchbury says the PIECES tool provides a lot of background information on residents. For instance, staff may discover that a resident had a bad experience with water previously, which is useful to developing strategies to support them through the bathing process.

In presenting the award to Muskoka Landing team members, the OLTCA cited the home’s integrated care philosophy, with all residents living in a communal setting and staff from all departments working to adapt the environment to residents’ needs.

“We believe that residents are separate from their medical diagnoses. They are not Mrs. S. with dementia, they’re a whole person and that’s why a tool like PIECES is so important — it speaks to the physical and emotional, the environment and residents’ life history. We don’t want to change them to meet our needs. This is their home and we change the environment to meet their needs,” Vuksan says.

Dr. Andrea Moser, who is also on the team and the home’s medical director, says the responsive behaviour program supports conversation between front-line staff and the team, as they focus on specific resident needs and continually engage one another on care strategies.

“It’s truly working as a team — the trust among team members, the willingness to try something new and be very, very resident-focused,” Moser says. “You do different things for different people and having a staff that’s willing to take that extra step is invaluable.”

“Behaviour management happens every day on every shift,” she says, citing the capacity of staff to appreciate and understand the tools PIECES approach and GPA. “(Behaviour management) is something they all do and I think by having this team, it reinforces the value and utility of the tools that are available to us.”

In addition to Moser and Launchbury, the team includes co-director of care Jamie Nelson, registered practical nurse Ashley Bouchard, personal support worker Shelly Cotterchio, life enrichment co-ordinator Amanda Heidman, and resident and family services co-ordinator Carrie Acton.

If you have a story to share or feedback on this article, please contact the newsroom at 800-294-0051, ext. 25, or e-mail lisa(at)axiomnews.ca.