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Questions for the Alliant Boost Team? Email Booster@allianthealth.org
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March 8, 2022
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In this Issue |
Best Practice of the Week/ Center Highlight of the Week
- Sending Personal Letters to Resident Families in Alabama
Latest Guidance/Updates
- Surgeon General requests COVID-19 misinformation data from major tech platforms
- CDC Know Your COVID-19 Community Level Tool
- Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines
- Update on Booster Interval for Immunocompromised
New Materials & Resources
- Attention Visitor Poster
- Visitor Talking Points Flyer
- Resident & Staff Infection Prevention Guidelines by COVID-19 Vaccination Status
- Case vignettes using Motivational Interviewing to help individuals with concerns about the COVID-19 vaccines
- BOOST Social Media Graphics!
- Flyer: Why I Got Vaccinated
- Poster: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster: Why Should I Get Boosted?
- Book Review: "Brush Fire: Covid-19 and Our Nursing Homes" by Deke Cateau, CEO of A.G. Rhodes
- Click HERE or visit https://bit.ly/GiveTheBoostAShot to download helpful resources and materials.
Register for Upcoming Give the Boost a Shot Events
- Education on Wednesdays *ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
- Wednesday, March 9, 2022 from 2-2:30 p.m. ET/ 1-1:30 p.m. CT: Join Darcy J. Watson, BSN, LNHA, Quality Consultant, Alliant Health Solutions for Give the BOOST a Shot - Don't Take "NO" for an Answer. REGISTER
- Objectives:
- Review COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Significance and Eligibility
- Discuss COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Consent Challenges
- Spotlight COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Clinic Best Practice Champions
- Provide COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Clinic Resources
- Clinician Office Hours on Thursdays *ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
- Thursday, March 10, 2022 from 2-2:30 p.m. ET/ 1-1:30 p.m. CT: Join Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC, Alliant Infection Prevention Specialist for BOOST Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Infection Prevention. Turn your cameras on and join in the conversation! REGISTER
Give the Boost a Shot Event Recordings
About Give the Boost a Shot
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Best Practice/Center of the Week |
Sending Personal Letters to Resident Families in Alabama
The Medical Director of an Alabama center sent personal letters to all resident family members encouraging them to have their loved ones and themselves vaccinated and boosted. They have seen a steady increase in their rates since the correspondence was mailed.
Share your best practices! Email Leighann: Leighann.Sauls@allianthealth.org
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Latest Guidance/Updates |
- Surgeon General requests COVID-19 misinformation data from major tech platforms
The New York Times (3/3, Alba) reports U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on “Thursday formally requested that the major tech platforms submit information about the scale of COVID-19 misinformation on social networks, search engines, crowdsourced platforms, e-commerce platforms and instant messaging systems.” The request “demanded that tech platforms send data and analysis on the prevalence of COVID-19 misinformation on their sites, starting with common examples of vaccine misinformation documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Read more.
- CDC Know Your COVID-19 Community Level Tool
COVID-19 Community Levels are a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. Take precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 based on the COVID-19 Community Level in your area.
- Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines
People who previously received antibody products (anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma) as part of COVID-19 treatment, post-exposure prophylaxis, or pre-exposure prophylaxis can be vaccinated at any time; COVID-19 vaccination does not need to be delayed following receipt of monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma. Although some reduction in vaccine-induced antibody titers was observed in people who previously received antibody products, the clinical significance of this reduction is unknown, and the balance of benefits vs. risks favors proceeding with vaccination even considering the possibility of diminished vaccine effectiveness in this situation. However, in people who previously received a COVID-19 vaccine, administration of tixagevimab/cilgavimab (EVUSHELD™) for pre-exposure prophylaxis should be deferred for at least two weeks after vaccination, per the product EUA.
- Update on Booster for Immunocompromised
The booster dose interval has been shortened to 3 months for moderately to severely immunocompromised. Please refer to the CDC's COVID-19 Vaccine Interim Immunization schedule.
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New Materials & Resources |
- Attention Visitor Poster
Alliant has developed a new poster to help engage visitors in compliance with core infection control principles. Download
- Visitor Talking Points Flyer
Alliant has also added a flyer about visitation that can be used to educate visitors at the time of the visit or mailed/emailed as necessary to support education of families/friends prior to visits. Download
- Resident & Staff Infection Prevention Guidelines
This new resource outlines how to manage residents and staff based on their vaccination status. Download
- Using Motivational Interviewing to Increase COVID-19 Vaccinations: Vignettes
During an earlier Boost Education event, Stacy Hull, LPC, MAC, CPCS presented on Motivational Interviewing and invited colleagues to role play how to have conversations with individuals who have concerns about the vaccines. Listen to the recording | Download the transcript
- A staff working in a long-term care facility discusses the COVID-19 vaccine with a resident who feels the vaccines were created too fast and she would rather take vitamins to protect her against COVID.
- A resident at a long-term care facility is upset because her son will not give permission for her to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
- A staff member at a long-term care facility calls a family member for approval to administer the COVID-19 vaccine booster to a resident.
- BOOST Social Media Graphics
We now have BOOST campaign social media graphics available (sized for Twitter and LinkedIn/Facebook) on the Give the Boost a Shot landing page. We’ll be adding new graphics each week that folks can download and use.
- Flyer: Why I Got Vaccinated - Administrators and staff at Memphis Jewish Home in Tennessee shared their personal stories regarding their motivation to become vaccinated. The facility includes a large campus of around 300 staff who are nearly 80% vaccinated. Download
- Poster: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster: Why Should I Get Boosted? Download
- Book Review: "Brush Fire: Covid-19 and Our Nursing Homes" by Deke Cateau, CEO of A.G. Rhodes
"Brush Fire" chronicles the challenges that nursing home residents and staff experienced in their difficult and lengthy battle against COVID-19. In his authorial debut, Deke gives a sobering behind-the-scenes look into what his organization, and undoubtedly thousands of other senior care organizations, faced during the global pandemic. Perhaps most importantly, Brush Fire gives hope and direction on how a historically misunderstood industry can emerge out of the ashes stronger than ever. Alliant has purchased and will distribute copies of Deke's book to Nursing Homes enrolled in Alliant's quality improvement initiatives. Meet Deke at the March 2, 2022 Boost Education event!
- Click HERE or visit https://bit.ly/GiveTheBoostAShot to download helpful resources and materials.
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Upcoming Give the Boost a Shot Events *ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
Join us and invite clinical colleagues every Wednesdays for an educational event. On Thursdays, we'll take a deeper dive into your challenges and questions during Clinician Office Hours. Each week we will focus on the concerns and questions from different clinician groups.
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Date/Time
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Event
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Registration Link
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Wednesday, 3/9/22
2-2:30 p.m. ET/
1-1:30 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Darcy J. Watson, BSN, LNHA, Quality Consultant, Alliant Health Solutions for Give the BOOST a Shot - Don't Take "NO" for an Answer. Objectives:
- Review COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Significance and Eligibility
- Discuss COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Consent Challenges
- Spotlight COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Clinic Best Practice Champions
- Provide COVID-19 & variant(s) Booster Clinic Resources
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Register |
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Thursday, 3/10/22
2-2:30 p.m. ET/
1-1:30 p.m. CT
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BOOST Office Hours:
Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Infection Prevention
Audience: Facility IPs - all are welcome!
Turn your cameras on and join in the conversation!
Led by Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC – Alliant Infection Prevention Specialist
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Register |
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Wednesday, 3/16/22
2-2:30 p.m. ET/
1-1:30 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Nimalie Stone, MD, MS, Medical Epidemiologist for Long-term Care in the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a special session to look at all we’ve accomplished as a spring board to positively transforming the experiences of residents and staff in nursing homes.
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Register |
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Thursday, 3/17/22
2-2:30 p.m. ET/
1-1:30 p.m. CT
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BOOST Office Hours & Shop Talk:
Clinician Office Hours: NSHN Shop Talk
Audience: NSHN users
Led by Marilee Johnson, MBA, MT (ASCP) – Alliant Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Register |
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Wednesday, 3/23/22
2-2:30 p.m. ET/
1-1:30 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Carol O'Connell, Assistant Vice President of Long Term Care and Support Services at Wellstar Paulding Hospital & Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to learn how they managed the roll-out of the vaccines and what they are doing to encourage the booster.
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Register |
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Thursday, 3/24/22
2-2:30 p.m. ET/
1-1:30 p.m. CT
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BOOST Office Hours:
Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake
Audience: Facility leadership, MD, PA, Advance Practice staff - all are welcome!
Turn your cameras on and join in the conversation!
Led by Swati Gaur, MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Register
Download Flyer |
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Wednesday, 3/30/22
2-2:30 p.m. ET/
1-1:30 p.m. CT
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BOOST Education Event
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
Register |
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Thursday, 3/31/22
2-2:30 p.m. ET/
1-1:30 p.m. CT
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BOOST Office Hours
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded* |
Register |
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Give the Boost a Shot Event Recordings |
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Recorded
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Event
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Recording Link
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Give the Boost a Shot Kick Off Event: Learn the why behind this 12-week program.
With Leighann Sauls, RN, CDN, Program Director (Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee), Alliant Health Solutions, JoVonn Givens, MPH, Program Director (Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana), Alliant Health Solutions, Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BA, Quality Advisor, Alliant Health Solutions, and Lisa Davies, CPHQ, LNHA, RD, LD, Quality Improvement Initiative Manager, Alliant Health Solutions
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Recording |
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Thursday, 1/20/22
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BOOST Office Hours: BOOST Office Hours & Shop Talk: Clinician Office Hours: NSHN Shop Talk (audience NSHN users)
With Marilee Johnson MBA, MT (ASCP), Alliant Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention
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Recording |
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BOOST Education Event: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster and Health Equity
With Rosa Abraha, MPH, Health Equity Lead, Alliant Health Solutions
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Recording |
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Thursday, 1/27/22
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BOOST Office Hours: Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake - (audience MD, PA, Advance Practice staff)
With Swati Gaur MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF, Medical Director, Post Acute Care, Northeast Georgia Health System
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Recording |
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Stacy Hull, LPC, MAC, CPCS, Aim Lead, Behavioral Health, Alliant Health Solutions for part 1 of a presentation on Using Motivational Interviewing to Increase COVID-19 Vaccinations
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Recording |
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Thursday, 2/3/22
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BOOST Office Hours:
Join Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BA, Quality Advisor, Alliant Health Solutions for Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake. This Office Hours session is geared toward NH Admins, DONs, and Direct Care Staff. The format will be a brief presentation followed by Q&A session (30-minute timeframe)
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Recording |
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Stacy Hull, LPC, MAC, CPCS, Aim Lead, Behavioral Health, Alliant Health Solutions for Using Motivational Interviewing to Increase COVID-19 Vaccinations Part 2: Practical Application. Participants will hear scenarios using the skills of Motivational Interviewing.
Objectives:
- Define Motivational Interviewing
- Understand the OARS in Motivational Interviewing
- Understand interviewing skills and strategies
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Recording |
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Thursday, 2/10/22
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BOOST Office Hours: Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Infection Prevention (Audience – Facility IPs)
Led by Amy Ward, MS, BSN, RN, CIC – Alliant Infection Prevention Specialist
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Recording |
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Wednesday, 2/16/22
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Darcy J. Watson, BSN, LNHA, Quality Consultant, Alliant Health Solutions for a session on Vaccine Clinics.
Objectives:
- To demonstrate the recent statistical evidence of booster efficacy
- To ascertain the current challenges with booster uptake (will have polling questions)
- To understand and mitigate the challenges with LTC providers obtaining the booster To assist facilities in conducting efficient and ongoing onsite clinics
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Recording |
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Thursday, 2/17/22
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BOOST Office Hours & Shop Talk:
Clinician Office Hours: NSHN Shop Talk
Audience: NSHN users
Led by Marilee Johnson, MBA, MT (ASCP) – Alliant Technical Advisor, Infection Prevention
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Recording |
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Wednesday, 2/23/22
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BOOST Education Event:
Join Diane Sanders-Cepeda, DO, CMD, Senior Medical Director, UnitedHealthcare Retiree Solutions to learn more about Long COVID and Boosters.
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Recording |
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Thursday, 2/24/22
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BOOST Office Hours:
Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake
Audience: MD, PA, Advance Practice staff
Turn your cameras on and join in the conversation!
Led by Swati Gaur, MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Recording |
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BOOST Education Event:
Vaccines: A Glimmer of Hope? Morality or Mandate?
Since the pandemic began, the search for an effective vaccine was thought to be the best way for us to get back to normalcy. In this presentation, Deke Cateau, CEO of A.G. Rhodes, a group of three Atlanta non-profit nursing homes and author of BRUSH FIRE: Covid-19 and our Nursing Homes, reflects on his organization’s techniques and strategies in promoting the COVID-19 vaccine among its staff and residents. Hear lessons learned and practical realities encountered as the organization went from widespread vaccine hesitancy to over 90% staff and resident vaccination. Learning Objectives: At this session, participants will: Learn different strategies for effectively promoting the COVID-19 vaccine Be able to encourage hesitant staff, families, and other stakeholders through a variety of messages and communications Take away practical data to compare COVID-19 activity before and after the organization achieved such a high vaccination rate.
Objectives:
- To demonstrate the recent statistical evidence of booster efficacy
- To ascertain the current challenges with booster uptake (will have polling questions)
- To understand and mitigate the challenges with LTC providers obtaining the booster To assist facilities in conducting efficient and ongoing onsite clinics
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Recording |
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Thursday, 3/3/22
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BOOST Office Hours:
Clinician Office Hours: Focus on Primary and Booster Uptake
Audience: NH Admins, DONs, Direct Care Staff - all are welcome!
Turn your cameras on and join in the conversation!
Led by Jeremy Bischoff, LHNA, BA – Alliant Quality Improvement Initiative Advisor
*ANCC Contact Hours Awarded*
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Recording |
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About the Give the Shot a Boost Program |
Alliant Health Solutions received a direct change order from CMS to provide support to nursing homes to help accelerate resident vaccination rates. This intensive 12-week program includes the following services and activities:
- Tuesdays: You will receive a weekly email bulletin dedicated to this program with the latest updates and tools you can use to help increase vaccination and booster rates.
- Wednesdays: Participate in a weekly educational event for all nursing homes to provide the latest information and tools to help accelerate rates.
- Thursdays: Take advantage of weekly office hours sessions for clinicians to share best practices, updates in clinical guidance, and science.
- A dedicated website page with resources and materials.
- Access to experts in epidemiology, quality improvement, and infection control.
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For more information about Alliant Health Solutions, visit the website: quality.allianthealth.org.
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