On May 11, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ended certain emergency waivers; put in place during the public health emergency, these waived some F-tag elements that would otherwise have applied during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the ending of these waivers, surveyors will resume …
The Infection Preventionist (IP) has become an integral part of the nurse leadership team in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Therefore, turnover in this important position brings many ramifications. When the IP position is vacant, it can cause quality-of-care issues, increase the workload for the director of nursing services (DNS), and …
During a QAA/QAPI meeting, the director of human resources announces the monthly staff turnover rate and shares information about a job fair she will attend. After this report, another department director takes a turn sharing data, and the meeting carries on in this manner until all departments have spoken. There …
Nurse leaders make a tremendous difference in whether certified nurse aides (CNAs) and nurses decide to stay or leave the job, especially in the first 90 days of employment. One of the key ways the director of nursing services (DNS) influences this choice is through the quality of the relationship …
As of October 24, 2022, nursing facilities must comply with updates the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made to the surveyor guidance in Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual. Although changes to facility policies and procedures have likely been initiated, changes to practice can be very difficult …
When the pandemic pummeled the nursing home workforce, nursing homes lost more jobs than any other healthcare setting. This loss compounded the staffing shortage facilities were already confronting, leaving many facility leaders physically and emotionally exhausted and desperate for solutions to solve this problem. The good news is that all …
Among the many decisions directors of nursing services (DNSs) make during their day, some of the most challenging involve regulatory requirements the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued. DNSs may find themselves asking questions such as, “Must an instance of abuse be reported during the QAPI meeting?” …
On June 29, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released updates to the surveyor guidance in Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual. Highlights of the updates can be found in the AAPACN article “Appendix PP Revisions in the State Operations Manual: Breaking Down Key Changes,” which …
On June 29, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released updates to the surveyor guidance in Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual. Some are minor technical updates, while others introduce entirely new guidance. Given the enormity of the updates, along with the other challenges facility leaders …
While most skilled nursing facility (SNF) leaders are aware of QAPI and have executed a QAPI plan, many view QAPI itself as nebulous, abstract, or vague. This lack of clarity complicates QAPI execution. This, in turn, encumbers QAPI’s potential to prompt continuous improvement. In the environment of value-based care, SNFs …
