The Privilege and the Responsibility: Thoughts and Observations on Nursing Home Administration reveals to its readers what it's really like to be a Nursing Home Administrator, and what it takes to be a good one. As the title implies, to be a Nursing Home Administrator is both a great privilege and a huge responsibility. The book begins by explaining why this is so, and reminds administrators that they must appreciate the privilege they have been given and accept the responsibility that comes with it.
Chapter one describes the dynamic nature of long term care, the inevitability of problems, the intense scrutiny administrators work under, and the constant change they must deal with. The five "pillars of success" for all nursing homes are then introduced.
Chapter two describes our unwilling customers, and the lengths we must go to satisfy them. Included is a list of the "golden rules" of customer service for nursing home employees.
Chapter three is an introduction to management and leadership for Nursing Home Administrators, and discusses the mindset, skillset and work ethic needed to be a successful administrator. It also introduces the four resources available to administrators - people, money, time, and information.
Chapter four is about managing people, our greatest resource. Included is a description of the staffing crisis and it's real cause, and a look at the ten biggest mistakes that administrators make with their employees.
Chapter five looks further at employees as members of the interdisciplinary team that is so essential to a well-functioning nursing home.
Chapter six is about managing money -- how to make more of it, how to better spend it, and how to save more of the money made. The chapter includes a look at budgets, financial reviews, accounts receivables, purchasing, and cost management.
Chapter seven is about managing time. It describes how time should be spent, how it can be saved, and how it is wasted by both administrators and their employees.
Chapter eight discusses the management of information, as it is both communicated and received. It shows administrators how to collect and act on the best information available in spite of the many ways that information can be distorted.
Chapter nine shows how the administrator can ensure that the facility is providing both quality of care and quality of life to its residents.
Chapter ten describes the survey process, and how the facility can prepare for it. It also shows how the survey process can be managed.
The author has spent over forty four years in nursing home administration. His experience has been vast and varied, and has given him a very unique perspective on this profession. In The Privilege and the Responsibility, he presents a very honest and revealing look at life in a nursing home, and how the Nursing Home Administrator can have such a positive impact on it.
