Abstract
After completing 20 hours of classes on promoting the functional status of hospitalized elders, the certified nursing assistants on this medical unit participated in developing a new model of care delivery. Discharge destination (home or nursing home) and length of stay were compared for patients pre- and post-implementation. Length of stay decreased by 2.4 days (p = .0007), and there was a significant increase in the number of elders who were able to return home (p = .024).