Light the Fuse on Five-Star Success – July 24, 2025

Members: $25 | Non-members: $50Continuing Education: 1.5 CE hoursRecording Date: July 24, 2025 Duration: 90 minutesSpeaker: Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA The Fourth of July fireworks are over, so now it’s time to light a new fuse—on Five-Star success! Nearly every piece of Minimum Data Set (MDS) coding plays a role in shaping …

Q&A: A resident elected hospice on July 9, 2025. What is the required completion date for the Significant Change in Status Assessment (SCSA), and what steps should be taken if the resident passes away before the assessment is completed?

Question: A resident elected hospice on July 9, 2025. What is the required completion date for the Significant Change in Status Assessment (SCSA), and what steps should be taken if the resident passes away before the assessment is completed? Answer from Scott Heichel RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, QCP, ICC, IPCO: …

Q&A: Is aspirin coded as an antiplatelet in N0415I?

Question: Is aspirin coded as an antiplatelet in N0415I? Answer from Carol Maher, RN, GERO-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, CPC: The RAI User’s Manual includes aspirin as an antiplatelet medication on page N-9: “N0415I1. Antiplatelet: Check if an antiplatelet medication (e.g., aspirin/extended release, dipyridamole, clopidogrel) was taken by the resident at any …

Q&A: How do we code interviews that were not complete when a Medicare resident has an unplanned discharge to the hospital?

Question: How do we code interviews that were not complete when a Medicare resident has an unplanned discharge to the hospital? Answer from Carol Maher, RN, GERO-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, CPC: If the interviews were not completed, you would need to answer the gateway question that ‘Yes’ the resident interview should …

TIP: Updated Five-Star Manual Available

Effective with the July 2025 refresh, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is implementing a change to the methodology for calculating the Health Inspection domain, shifting from using the three most recent standard health inspection surveys to the two most recent standard health inspection surveys to calculate Health …

Confidence as a Culture: Empowering the Team

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 with AAPACN, discuss ways directors of nursing services can build confidence in their staff. Whether on-boarding new hires, supporting burned-out nurses, …

Enteral Nutrition Checklist

It’s important that long-term care residents receive enteral nutrition in a safe, effective, and consistent manner. Utilize AAPACN’s Enteral Nutrition Checklist to ensure documentation is complete and residents are receiving appropriate nutrition, medications, and treatment for their enteral tube feeding. This AAPACN resource is copyright protected. AAPACN individual members may …

How Eventide Is Investing in Nurses, Building Resilience, and Supporting Leadership

At Eventide Senior Living, people come first. From residents to staff, the organization understands that delivering high-quality care starts with a confident, well-supported team. That’s why Eventide has taken a thoughtful and proactive approach to training and development. One that empowers nurses, strengthens operations, and opens doors to career advancement. …

Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) Policy Manual V2.7

This manual provides general background and information about the submission requirements, such as sample submission screens, submission deadlines, and definitions of job categories. Note: Changes from the previous version of this policy manual are identified in red/italics. PBJ Policy Manual Final – V2.7 – 06.30.2025 (PDF) From https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/Staffing-Data-Submission-PBJ