Event Registration

Hybrid Format

This program will be offered in a hybrid format meaning you can attend in-person or virtually.
Note: Registering for this hybrid event grants you live access only.

Program Description

Advanced DON Training is a one-day intensive designed for directors of nursing (DONs) who are ready to deepen their regulatory, clinical and quality expertise. Led by IHCA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Brenda Irlbeck, this interactive program goes beyond the basics to explore complex regulatory and quality issues DONs encounter in their clinical leadership roles.

Through real-world scenarios, group discussion and practical application, participants will strengthen their ability to interpret regulatory requirements, identify clinical compliance risks, respond to survey findings and use quality data to drive improvement. The program challenges DONs to apply their knowledge, work through complex clinical and regulatory situations and lead their teams toward stronger compliance, quality and resident outcomes.

The first half of this course will focus on understanding survey framework, diving into scope and severity, enforcement remedies, writing plans of correction and using data to prepare for survey. The second half of this course will focus on operationalizing QAPI using iQIES reports and a Five-Star deep dive.

This course is intended for DONs who have been in the position for at least 2 years or those who have already completed IHCA’s DON Foundations course.

Leadership Excellence Academy prerequisite: This training fulfills Step 2 | Advanced of the DON + Nurse Leaders pathway for IHCA’s Leadership Excellence Academy. Learn more here.

Materials

Participants should bring a laptop computer as well as the following reports:

• 2567 from most recent recertification/annual survey
• List of complaints and facility-reported incidents since last recertification survey (even those without resulting tags)
  1. If the complaint/FRI resulted in tags/citations, have the report available
• 1705D PBJ Staffing Data Report
• Facility Characteristics Report from iQIES
• Current Five-Star Provider Rating Report
• MDS 3.0 Facility-Level QM Report
• MDS 3.0 Resident-Level QM Report
• Blank QAPI agenda
• Grievance log (or a summary of grievances from the past year)
• Your Top-Line Publication from LTC Trend Tracker

Location

BCG Education Center
Iowa Health Care Association
1775 90th St.
West Des Moines, IA

Schedule

Nov. 11, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Continuing Education Credit

This program is approved for 6.0 contact hours for:

• NF administrators
• Nurses

Registration Fees

Members:     $175 per person
Non-members:         $525 per person

Speaker

Brenda Irlbeck is the Vice President, Regulatory Affairs for the Iowa Health Care Association. Brenda is a registered nurse, certified assisted living manager, and a former director of nursing. She leads the IHCA and ICAL Quality Improvement Advisory Councils, is a Silver Examiner for the AHCA NCAL National Quality Award Program, and serves on the AHCA Survey/Regulatory Committee. With over twenty years of post-acute leadership experience, she is knowledgeable in quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and clinical practice in long-term care settings.