Introduction: Uses of This Study Guide for the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards Domains of Practice

Format of the National Exam

The “One-Best-Answer” Testing Format

Deciding What the Question Is

Deciding What the Answer Is

Strategies for Test Taking

PART 1: LEARNING HOW TO MANAGE THE HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION

1.1 Management Functions

1.1.1 Levels of Management

1.1.2 Line-Staff Relationships

1.2 Forecasting

1.3 Planning

1.3.1 Why Plan?

1.3.2 Steps in Planning

1.4 Organizing

1.5 Staffing

1.6 Directing

1.6.1 Policy Making

1.6.2 Making a Decision

1.6.3 Leading

1.6.4 Power and Authority

1.6.5 Communication Skills

1.6.6 Organizational Norms and Values: Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice

1.6.7 Related Concepts

1.7 Comparing and Controlling Quality

1.7.1 Some Requirements for Effective Control of Quality

1.7.2 Diagnosing Organizational Quality

1.8 Innovating

1.9 Marketing the Long-Term Care Facility

1.9.1 The Turn to Marketing

1.9.2 The “Marketing” of Healthcare

1.9.3 Developing a Marketing Strategy

1.9.4 Marketing Concerns

PART 2: UNDERSTANDING THE DEPARTMENTS AND MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES

2.1 Organization of the Nursing Facility and its Staff

2.1.1 The Administrator’s Office

2.1.2 Medical and Allied Health Functions

2.1.3 Dental Care

2.1.4 Foot and Eye Care

2.1.5 Pharmaceutical Services

2.1.6 Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy/Speech Therapy

2.1.7 Laboratory and other Diagnostic Services

2.1.8 Nursing Services

2.1.9 The Business Office

2.1.10 Medical Records

2.1.11 Dietary Department

2.1.12 Social Services and Admissions

2.1.13 Activities/Recreation

2.1.14 Housekeeping

2.1.15 Laundry

2.2 Identifying the Human Resources Functions

2.3 Planning Employment Needs: Writing Job Descriptions

2.4: Hiring Staff

2.5 Training Staff

2.6 Retaining Employees

2.7 Evaluating Employees

2.8 Paying Employees

2.9 Disciplining Employees

PART 3: LEARNING TO MANAGE THE ORGANIZATION’S FINANCES

3.1 The Administrator’s Role as Financial Manager

3.2 Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

3.3 Two Approaches to Accounting: Cash Accounting and Accrual Accounting

3.4 The Two Main Steps in the Accounting Process: Recording Transactions and Preparing Financial Statements

3.5 Putting Financial Statements to Work: Working Capital, Ratio Analysis, and Vertical Analysis

3.6 Additional Accounting Procedures That Help the Administrator Maintain Control over the Facility

3.7 The Concept of Depreciation

3.8 Using “Costs” in Managerial Decisions

3.9 Budgets and Budgeting

3.10 Finance: The Broader Context

PART 4: LEARNING THE CONTINUUM OF LONG-TERM CARE

4.1 Origins, Overview, and Current Profile of the Nursing Home Industry

4.2 The Social Security Act: Medicare and Medicaid

4.3 Labor and Management: Laws and Regulations

4.4 Workplace Safety: The Occupational Safety and Health Act

4.5 Fire Safety: The Life Safety Code

4.6 Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Facilities

4.7 The Affordable Care Act

4.8 The Elder Justice Act

4.9 Patient Driven Payment Model

PART 5: BUILDING YOUR RESIDENT CARE SKILLS

5.1 Aging Process

5.2 Medical and Related Terms

5.2.1. Medical Specializations

5.2.2 Medications/Therapeutic Actions of Drugs

5.2.3 Abbreviations

5.2.4 Prefixes

5.2.5 Suffixes

5.3 The Aging Process as It Relates to Diseases Common to the Nursing Facility Population

5.3.1 Cardiovascular/Circulatory System

5.3.2 Respiratory System

5.3.3 Nervous System

5.3.4 Digestive Diseases

5.3.5 Nutrition

5.3.6 External and Internal Disease Mechanisms

5.3.7 Musculoskeletal System

5.3.8 Urinary (Renal) System

5.3.9 Reproductive System

5.3.10 Emotional and Mental Well-Being

PART 6: PUTTING THE SYSTEMS TOGETHER

PART 7: ANSWERS AND RATIONALES