Long-Term Living Examines the Effectiveness of Coaching
Coaching interventions can improve quality of care in long-term care settings, according to an article published in the April issue of Long-Term Living.
Written by freelance writer Alan Richman, “The Case for Nurse Coaching” highlights the PHI Coaching ApproachSM as one of several examples of coaching systems that have been proven to be effective.
Coaching is “a relationship-centered approach to supporting the growth and development of others,” PHI Coaching and Consulting Services Director Susan Misiorski says in the article.
Misiorski highlights the four core communication skills that are essential to promoting the values of coaching throughout an organization:
- Active listening
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Feedback
“Coaching is an ideal model to help understand patients’ desires, constraints and barriers, and then use the knowledge to develop an ongoing plan of care,” Barbara Dossey, co-director of the International Nurse Coach Association, says in the article.
The article highlights successful Coaching interventions in several long-term care facilities, including Orchard Cove, a continuing care retirement community in Massachusetts; Edgewood Centre, a 156-bed facility in New Hampshire; and the Isabella Geriatric Center in New York City.
All of the organizations reported measurable improvements after introducing Coaching.
Orchard Cove, for example, saw statistically significant reductions in several care-quality indicators among residents: pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections, and falls. Edgewood, meanwhile, experienced a “significant decline” in worker callouts, a sign that workers are more satisfied with their jobs.
— by Matthew Ozga
