Question
How important is it with the spaced retrieval technique to interact with the staff and make sure that you are not only telling them your goals and coordinating with them, but documenting that as well on the chart?
Answer
It is huge and I am really glad you brought it up. Like with anything, in order for any of work to generalize, we have to talk to the staff that is working with them regularly. Being able to chat with them when you are bringing a patient back from therapy and saying, “Hey, this is what we worked on. This is the prompt that we are using.” What we have done in some facilities is actually written those prompts into the caregiver or nursing aide log. They are looking at them on a regular basis when they sign in at the beginning of their shifts. We have also written them all over the person's room, such as the inside of the closet door. It is not something that would violate HIPAA.
It is really important to keep the documentation very clear. Again I think if you start using the technique and get comfortable with it, you can start really tackling some of those problem issues, for example getting people to be compliant with bathing. If you can find a way to teach them the names of the caregivers who work with them or find what it is that will help them to be compliant, the staff will buy-in much more, because you are making their job much easier. You want to think about what is in it for them. What can I do to make their life a little easier in order for them to want to encourage the carryover as well?
