Long-Term Care Administration is receiving a
facelift! In early June, the National Association of Long Term Care
Administrator Boards (NAB) held its annual meeting in Louisville,
Kentucky. The results of a Professional Practice Analysis, the
culmination of 18 months of study, were revealed.
The responsibilities of executives in nursing homes,
assisted living, adult day care, home health care, and hospice were
compared. There were far more commonalities than distinctions. In
fact, 82% of the duties associated with these roles were found to be the same.
With the participation of leaders from all of these care
settings, the idea has come forth for a “Health Services Executive”
license. Service lines are blending; for example, nursing homes are
opening hospice agencies and home health services. To prepare leaders
for these roles, educational criteria for licensing will change.
Currently, nursing home administrators must take a national
board exam. The make-up of this exam will change slightly.
The exam will include a leadership core, those competencies that are in common
across these care settings. Field-specific questions will be added to the
mix.
Saint Joseph’s College is staying current with these
developments to ensure that our curriculum meets these new requirements.
A timetable for implementation has not yet been decided.
Philip C. DuBois, CNHA,
FACHCA
Program Manager, Long
Term Care Administration
