W

hile the working relationship between the director of nursing (DON) and the administrator may not be one of the former being from Mars and the latter Venus, there are certainly times when it seems like they’re speaking a different language. Which is understandable—they often have completely different backgrounds and focus on clinical or financial matters but not both. But the extent to which they can find common ground is vital to the success of any facility.
       In this month’s cover feature, “A View From the Other Side,” Betty McLaughlin Frandsen, RN, NHA, BSHCA, CDONA/LTC, explains what the administrator needs from a DON. She stresses how important it is for them to understand each other and their differences in order for their working relationship—and facility—to flourish. Among her advice is for the DON and administrator to focus on the things they have in common and develop an understanding of each other’s background in order to share key information clearly and effectively. Although that communication divide is difficult to navigate at first, it’s well worth the effort.

Also in this issue...

       As promised, this month’s issue features the second part of “The Quality Indicator Survey,” which appeared in the September issue of ECPN, and an article on envisioning a world without pressure ulcers, which is the eighth in a series of articles related to topics from the 2007 Symposium on Regulatory Issues for Management in Long-Term Care (SORIM LTC). Also included are the eighth article in the “MIST Therapy^® System: Thoughts on Therapy” series, news on the effect that strong competition is having on Medicare Part D plan premiums for 2008, and articles on the following topics: avoiding errors and litigation with ongoing physician credentialing and monitoring, minimizing the risk of nutrition-related litigation, documentation as it relates to the Minimum Data Set (MDS), and preparing for Pay for Performance (P4P) in long-term care.
       As always, thank you for reading ECPN.