Helping DONs of Long-Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facilities to Thrive

On episode 531 of The Nurse Keith Show nursing and healthcare career podcast, Keith interviews Danine Bitting, RN, RAC-CT, a Clinical Compliance Specialist with Friends Services Alliance Compliance Collaborative, and Maria Kiwagama, MSN/MHA, CDP, CNDLTC, the Director of Nursing of Barclay Friends’ Continuing Care Retirement Community in West Chester, PA. In the course of their conversation, Keith and his guests discuss the Friends Services Alliance Compliance Collaborative's program that supports and mentors Directors of Nursing of skilled nursing and long-term care facilities in order to assure their success as leaders, not to mention the ultimate success of the facilities which they helm. Danine Bitting is a Clinical Compliance Specialist with Friends Services Alliance Compliance Collaborative (FSA), in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. FSA provides a spectrum of services for the nonprofit senior living industry. Danine has over 25 years of experience in long-term care, with a strong focus on enhancing the quality of life for residents and driving meaningful change in clinical systems. As a former Director of Nursing, Danine led two 5-STAR, non-profit facilities with goals to improve resident life and care via Person Centered Care and developing realistic systems. Danine has worked closely with two hospital networks in the Preferred Provider Network (PPN) to improve resident care following hospitalization and reduce re-hospitalizations.  Maria Kiwagama is a seasoned nursing professional with over a decade of experience in clinical management, quality improvement, and nursing education. She currently serves as the Director of Nursing at Barclay Friends, a not-for-profit Kendal Affiliate that provides compassionate, home-like care for older adults. In her role, Maria oversees nursing operations across Barclay Friends’ Continuing Care Retirement Community, which includes two long-term care units, two memory care units, and a Personal Care unit. She is responsible for ensuring high-quality resident care, regulatory compliance, and effective coordination of the nursing staff within the skilled nursing department. Before joining Barclay Friends, Maria spent six years at Waverly Heights, a Life Plan Community in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, where she held roles as Nurse Manager and RN-Assessment Coordinator. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and holds additional certifications in Wound Care and Infection Control and Prevention. Maria recently earned a dual master’s degree in Nursing Leadership and Healthcare Administration and is currently completing an Administrator in Training (AIT) program, further strengthening her leadership in long-term care. Connect with Friends Services Alliance and Barclay Friends: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Friends Services Alliance FSA on LinkedIn Barclay Friends Continuing Care Barclay Friends on Facebook Barclay Friends on LinkedIn Barclay Friends on Instagram Contact Nurse Keith about holistic career coaching to elevate your nursing and healthcare career at ⁠⁠⁠⁠NurseKeith.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Keith also offers services as a motivational and keynote speaker and freelance nurse writer. You can always find Keith on⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠. Are you looking for a novel way to empower your career and move forward in life? Keith's wife, Shada McKenzie, is a gifted astrologer and reader of the tarot who combines ancient and modern techniques to provide valuable insights into your motivations, aspirations, and life trajectory, and she offers listeners of The Nurse Keith Show a 10% discount on their first consultation. Contact Shada at ⁠⁠⁠⁠TheCircelandtheDot.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠or [e-mail].