Our state surveyors are zeroing in on trauma‑informed communication and resident choice during ADLs. I’ve added a 10‑minute “ask‑before‑touch” drill and a 60‑second pause check to my skills labs this week — are your facilities updating CNA training or workflows to reflect this? It’s a small shift that protects dignity and often makes care smoother for everyone.
I’ve had good results adding a resident‑chosen “stop phrase” during ADLs — at the start I say, “If you want me to pause, just say ‘hold up’,” then I repeat their exact words before any touch; it’s made mouth care and peri‑care much smoother. Small caveat: it only sticks if it’s visible, so we put the phrase at the top of the care plan and on the room whiteboard. Do your surveyors accept that kind of scripting in skills check‑offs?