WU, nursing homes partner ; Goal of internship program is to improve quality

Two Topeka nursing homes and Washburn University'sSchool of Nursing have partnered on a program they hope will improve care more broadly.

Topeka Presbyterian Manor and McCrite Plaza Health Center are the first two participants in a pilot program with the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care to teach nursing students about quality improvement in nursing facilities. The idea is that the bachelor's of nursing students will finish the program with a "working knowledge" of how to spot areas where quality could be improved in long-term care facilities, and to make those changes, according to a news release.

KFMC cited that long-term care often is "overlooked" in discussions about health care. Kansas falls roughly in the middle when compared to the rest of the country on long-term care quality, according to KFMC, and partnerships are underway to improve that ranking.

"Students will have a better understanding of the needs in these commonly overlooked provider settings," the release said. "Additionally, these organizations will benefit from the extra effort provided by the students and their willingness to refine tactics to provide quality care when they become health care providers upon graduation."