How do we meet the training needs of frontline nursing home staff?
Supporting nursing home safety
Challenge
Virus outbreaks in nursing homes put America’s most vulnerable at tremendous risk.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recognized that to protect frontline staff and nursing home residents a whole new range of training and resources was needed—and quickly.
Westat helped in this effort.
Solution
In response to the immediate need for training for all nursing home staff, Westat set to work. The goal was to ensure all nursing home staff received high-quality training about safety protocols.
Knowing that 40 million+ Americans cite Spanish as their first language, it was clear that training and safety tools needed to be available in Spanish.
Over the course of 3 months, Westat produced a broad range of Spanish training tools and resources ranging from interactive training videos and assessments, to tip sheets on safety protocols.
The work helped provide nursing homes across America, the Spanish-preferring residents, visitors, and staff the information they needed to stay safe.
Results
At the 2021 CMS Quality Conference, which had a theme of Health Care Innovation During a Time of Disruption, the team received a Rock Star Award for its nimble response to emerging needs. CMS highlighted the nursing home training as a system-wide success amid the challenges.
Focus Areas
Behavioral Health Health Services Research and Health PolicyCapabilities
Content and Product Development Innovative Data Collection and Management Tools Training and CoachingSenior Expert Contact
Stephanie J. Fry
Associate Vice President
-
Perspective
Westat @ JSM 2025: Enriching Society with StatisticsJuly 2025
Westat staff will be participating in the 2025 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), the largest annual gathering of statisticians and data scientists in North America. Held…
-
Expert Interview
2026 ASA President Mulrow: Communities in Action Advancing SocietyJuly 2025
Jeri Mulrow, MS, Vice President and Sector Lead for Data Solutions at Westat, will serve as the 121st President of the American Statistical Association (ASA),…
-
Expert Interview
What Impact Is AI Having in Government Research?July 2025
With the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) in government research, questions regarding its impact on public policy and its ability to address today’s pressing…