Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes Campaign

A Campaign to improve quality of life for residents and staff


A two-year national campaign to address quality in nursing homes began September 29, 2006, with a kickoff summit meeting. Consumer Voice has joined this campaign as a strategy to promote improvements in eight areas – untreated pain in residents who are in facilities for short or long stays, restraints, pressure sores, setting individualized quality improvement targets, assessment of resident/family satisfaction, staff turnover and consistent assignment (when residents are regularly cared for by the same staff).

Visit the Campaign website for latest news and developments.

Consumer Voice will bring the voice of nursing home residents to the campaign.  We believe this campaign will promote national and local dialogues on serious issues that matter to residents and their families and we will work with our members to encourage nursing homes in their communities to participate.”  Alice H. Hedt, Former Consumer Voice Executive Director

Consumer Information


In the Advancing Excellence campaign, nursing homes voluntarily work on at least three of eight measurable quality goals. A provider must select at least one of four clinical goals and at least one of four process-related goals.

Goal 1: Reducing pressure ulcers: Reducing Pressure Ulcers Consumer Information Sheet 

Goal 2: Reducing the daily use of physical restraints: Physical Restraint-Free Care Consumer Information Sheet

  • Read Elizabeth Capezuti's article "Improving Bed Safety," from the NYU Nursing Spring 2007 Newsletter

Goals 3 & 4: Improving the management of pain in long stay residents and short-stay residents

Goal 5: Setting individualized targets for clinical quality improvement

Goal 6: Measuring resident and/or family satisfaction and incorporating this information to quality improvement activities

Goals 7 & 8: Measuring nursing staff turnover and developing action plans to improve staff retention, and adopting “consistent assignment"

Goal 8: Improving Consistent Assignment of Nursing Home Staff Quality Relationships, Quality Care: The Case for Consistent Assignment

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Consumers Weigh in on Quality


Consumer Voice is highlighting the efforts of the Wisconsin LANE (Local Area Network for Excellence) for their successful practice of involving consumers in LANE meetings. They begin every LANE meeting by inviting a resident and/or family member of a health care facility to share their perspectives. LANE members have said that this demonstrates their vision and keeps them aligned with it as they move through their activities.

Special recognition goes to the Wisconsin Ombudsman Program for their efforts to assist residents in signing up for the campaign and participating in quality discussions:
Eleanor Jacobs, a resident of a Wisconsin Health Care Center, signing up for the Advancing Excellence Campaign, assisted by Heather Bruemmer, Ombudsman Services Supervisor.

Read Ms. Elanor Jacobs' story and comments about her life in a nursing home, as submitted to the LANE.

Visit the State of Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long Term Care website

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Campaign KickOff


Consumers are encouraged to get involved in the Campaign.

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