Aligned at the Top: The DNS/Administrator Partnership

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Lauren Stenson, MSN, RN, CNDLTC, QCP, DNS-CT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss how directors of nursing services and administrators can strengthen their partnership, improve communication, and navigate the …

CDC Project Firstline Health Professions Infection Control Education Toolkit

CDC’s Project Firstline released a new resource to support teaching faculty in bringing infection control concepts into the classroom. The new toolkit includes adaptable educational resources, including a journal club with discussion guides and learning activities that can be integrated into health professions and public health curricula to help prepare …

CMS Healthcare Provider Guidance: Emergency Preparedness Frequent Citations

Emergency Preparedness for Every Emergency Effective Health Care Provider Emergency Planning Sound, timely planning provides the foundation for effective emergency management. The response to an emergency can impact an entire community and can involve numerous medical and public health entities, including health care provider systems, public health departments, emergency medical services, …

TIP: CDC Releases New Sepsis Prevention Tool

Nursing home residents are at risk of developing infections that can lead to sepsis, which is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention to prevent severe morbidity and mortality. The Sepsis Prevention Assessment Tool (SPAT) for Nursing Homes released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), identifies gaps in …

Q&A: If the registered dietitian documents a resident is at risk for malnutrition within the MDS look-back period, can “risk for malnutrition” be coded on the MDS section I5600?

Question: If the registered dietitian documents a resident is at risk for malnutrition within the MDS look-back period, can “risk for malnutrition” be coded on the MDS section I5600? Answer from Jennifer LaBay RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, QCP, CRC: Since this is section I, the documentation can ONLY come from a …

Q&A: How do you code discharge status, A2105, when the resident discharged to a hotel?

Question: How do you code discharge status, A2105, when the resident discharged to a hotel? Answer from Carol Maher, RN, GERO-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, CPC: A discharge to a homeless shelter, jail, or hotel would be coded as 99, None of the above. This AAPACN resource is copyright protected. AAPACN individual members …

Q&A: If a resident has a diagnosis of “schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type,” how is this coded on the MDS?

Question: If a resident has a diagnosis of “schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type,” how is this coded on the MDS? Answer from Carol Maher, RN, GERO-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, CPC: Schizoaffective disorder would be coded at I6000, but ONLY if all of the DSM-5 requirements are met (physician comprehensive assessment present and …

AAPACN 2026 Conference Highlight: The MDS in Court – How Does Yours Standup? with Janine Lehman

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Janine Lehmen, director of clinical and legal nursing consulting with Proactive LTC Consulting, discuss Lehman’s AAPACN 2026 Conference session on Wednesday, March 18 at 2 pm ET, “The MDS …

PDPM Admission Documentation Request Tool

Consistency in documentation is vital to code the MDS accurately. Several MDS items use hospital records to support coding, such as diagnoses, recent surgery, IV fluids/feeding, and tube feeding. Use the PDPM Admission Documentation Request tool as a checklist to ensure a comprehensive review of hospital documentation required to support …