Improving Patient Safety in Long-Term Care Facilities

Training Modules

Detecting and promptly reporting changes in a nursing home resident's condition are critical for ensuring the resident's well-being and safety. Such changes may represent a patient safety problem, and they can be a signal that the resident is at increased risk for falling and other complications.
Training nursing home staff—particularly nursing staff—to be on the lookout for changes in a nursing home resident's condition and to effectively communicate those changes is one tool nursing home administrators can employ to improve patient safety, create a more resident-centered environment, and reduce the number of falls and fall-related injuries.

Photograph of staff member with nursing home resident.

Course Content

These new educational materials are intended for use in training front-line personnel in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. The materials were developed for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) under a contract to the RAND Corporation. They are organized into three modules:

The Instructor Guide comprises all three modules, including suggested slides and pre- and post-tests to gauge the student's knowledge level before and after training. Separate student workbooks are available for each module.
To order print copies of the materials, send an Email to the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse at AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov or call 1-800-358-9295.

Current as of July 2012
AHRQ Publication No. 12-0001

Internet Citation:

Improving Patient Safety in Long-Term Care Facilities: Training Modules. AHRQ Publication No. 12-0001. July 2012. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/ptsafetyltc/index.html