Tips to Prepare for the Upcoming Respiratory Illness Season

Fall is fast approaching, and colder weather increases prevalence of respiratory illness. Colds, flu, and other respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) become more common in colder months as people stay indoors more and reside in closer quarters. With colder weather nearing, facilities must be proactive …

AHRQ Effective Healthcare Protocols for Patient Safety Available Now on Multiple Topics

Patient safety research is growing, spanning across more healthcare settings, and considers a wide array of contextual factors. The combination of emerging patient safety threats and the growing amount of published patient safety research, patient safety resources, and accrediting body standards makes it increasingly difficult to prioritize adoption and implementation …

Need Behavioral Health Training Help? Check Out the COE-NF

The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF), which opened its online doors in December 2022 thanks to a three-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is a centralized hub where any Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home can access trainings, tools, and …

Discharge Planning Best Practices to Avoid Hospital Readmissions

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Dr. Nancy Kusmaul, PhD, MSW, associate professor in the baccalaureate social work program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, discuss discharge planning best practices to avoid hospital readmissions.

Behavioral Health: Eight Ways to Boost Compliance—and Help Residents—Under F740

F740 (Behavioral Health Services) is not a frequently cited F-tag so far in calendar year (CY) 2023, according to QCOR data posted on Aug. 13, 2023. However, the consequences can be severe—surveyors often issue this citation at the level of immediate jeopardy (IJ) when it does occur. Specifically, F740 is …

TIP: CDC Releases New Enhanced Barrier Precautions Resources

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new resources on enhanced barrier precautions (EBPs). EBPs are recommended by the CDC to reduce the risk of transmission of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs). These resources can assist the director of nursing services (DNS) and the infection preventionist to educate …

CDC Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) Program Resources Updated

Infection Control Assessment Tools Acronyms & Definitions ICAR: Infection Control Assessment and Response Program IP: Infection Prevention Healthcare Personnel IP Competency: The proven ability to apply essential knowledge, skills, and abilities to prevent the transmission of pathogens during the provision of care. Healthcare Personnel IP Competency-Based Training: The provision of job-specific education, training, and …

Infusion Therapy: Solve These Clinical and Documentation Issues to Provide Better Care

Infusion therapy services are so inherently complex that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) identifies “intravenous or intramuscular injections and intravenous feeding” and “enteral feeding that comprises at least 26 percent of daily calorie requirements and provides at least 501 milliliters of fluid per day” as two of …

Behavioral Health in SNFs: New Resource Center, Nonpharmacological Interventions, and Best Practices

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jacob Berelowitz, LNHA, LMSW, CPHQ, CCM, program manager for the Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF) discuss how the COE-NF can assist nursing homes. Additional Resources: