Post Acute Care Director of Nurses (PAC-DON) Course
The PAC-DON course equips students to understand the roles/responsibilities of a Director of Nurses in a Post-Acute Care environment. Practical examples are presented to explain the underlying regulations to make the student:
- Knowledgeable and ready to demonstrate the acquired skills
- Articulate the different types of reimbursement
- Understand regulatory compliance and its impact on quality assurance, performance improvement
- Understand the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Five (5) Star Rating System
The course offers tools and resources for survey preparedness to enable students to become the most successful DONs. Additionally, the Director of Nursing in the Post-Acute care setting is responsible for overseeing the nursing department and works directly with members of the interdisciplinary team:
- Attending Physicians
- Medical Directors
- Social Workers
- Dietary Staff
- Therapy Staff
- Human Resource Staff
- Pastoral Care
- Environmental Staff
At the end of the course, students are able to work effectively with their colleagues toward the collective success of the clinical team.
Advantages of the PAC-DON Course
We developed the PAC-DON curriculum with robust, evidence-based materials which were extensively reviewed by leading industry experts to ensure that appropriate knowledge and competencies are acquired. Upon completion, the student is adequately prepared to take the PAC-DON certification exam. In addition, the course offers the following:
- Enhances professional credibility
- Extends knowledge and skills
- Serves as a proof of ability
- Enriches self-image and reputation with peers
- Improves career opportunities
- Increases earning potential
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Provides opportunity to earn 10 Contact Hours
The course can be taken either by enrollment in our instructor-led classes or as a self-study utilizing written, video and audio materials segregated into course modules. Either option is specially designed to meet the needs of adult learners and busy working professionals.
Target Audience
The PAC-DON course is a robust and comprehensive program designed for the following roles:
- Novice and seasoned Director of Nurses
- Assistant Director of Nurses, Unit Managers
- Nurse Supervisors
- MDS Coordinators
- Staff Educators/Infection Preventionist Nurse Leaders
- Registered Nurses aspiring for a Director of Nursing position in the long term/post-acute care environment
Course Objectives
- The role of the DON in post-acute care
- Leadership
- Professionalism
- Human Resource Management
- Financial Management
1-Budgets
2-Reimbursement - Regulatory compliance and 5 STAR Rating
- Review of the Federal Tags and strategies to avoid Citations
- Reportable events
- Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI)
- Partner/Vendor relations and support
- Staff education and staff development
- Career Development
Course Eligibility
An active and unencumbered RN license within a state or territory of the U.S.
A minimum of one year as a registered nurse in the post-acute care setting.
Continuing Education Units
There is opportunity for 15 Nursing Contact Hours (approved by the American Nurses credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC) once all requirements are met. Among the requirement are completion of the course curriculum, and completion of the course evaluation.
Acquiring Certification
The PAC-DON curriculum was designed as an in depth training program for the:
- Complete the PAC-DON Course (optional)
- An active and unencumbered RN license within a state or territory of the United States.
- Minimum of one year work experience as an RN in the Post-Acute Care setting.
- Register and take the competency-based PAC-DON certification examination
- Obtain a passing grade of 80 percent or better on the PAC-DON examination
The initial certification is valid two years after the date of passing the examination and meeting all requirements of the certification. Certifications are renewable every 2 years.