National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel Releases Standardized Pressure Injury Prevention Protocol

The National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel has released the second version of their Standardized Pressure Injury Prevention Protocol – abbreviated as “SPIPP” (pronounced S – PIP). The SPIPP is a shortened checklist of preventive actions to implement at the bedside, adapted from the 2019 Guidelines on pressure injury prevention. As …

Psychotropic Medications in the Skilled Nursing Facility: How to Manage the Process

The use of psychotropic medications in the skilled nursing facility (SNF) is a controversial issue with implications for resident, regulatory, and financial outcomes. The many requirements can be confusing, especially for a relatively new director of nursing services (DNS). This article reviews psychotropic medication requirements and offers tips to manage …

F609 Abuse/Crime Reporting Obligations: Keys to Success

Nursing homes face significant risk and liability under F-tag 609 (Reporting of Alleged Violations), says Janet Feldkamp, RN, BSN, LNHA, CHC, JD, a partner in the Benesch Healthcare + Practice Group at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff in Columbus, OH. “This risk is more than just regulatory. There may be …

BIMS MDS Coding Video Tutorial Updated

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering an updated video tutorial to assist providers with guidance application and interview strategies for the cognitive assessment known as the Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) found in the MDS 3.0 RAI v1.18.11, effective October 1, 2023. This video tutorial …

TeamSTEPPS 3.0: Evidence-Based Teamwork Resources for Healthcare Teams

TeamSTEPPS is an evidence-based program designed to optimize the performance of healthcare teams. The Welcome Guides in this section provide an introduction to TeamSTEPPS 3.0 adapted to the needs of various TeamSTEPPS roles, including:   The Welcome Guides provide a general overview of the content and structure of the TeamSTEPPS 3.0 …

Beers Criteria Update and the Impact to SNFs

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, and Lisa Morris, D.Ph., BCGP, FASCP, executive director of clinical services for Consana, discuss changes to the American Geriatrics Society’s Beers Criteria and its impact on skilled nursing facilities. Additional …

How to Make the Survey Process Smoother: Tips for the New Director of Nursing Services (DNS)

The director of nursing services (DNS) position is multi-faceted, and a new DNS must learn a lot quickly. Areas such as providing residents quality care and staffing take top priority, and rightfully so. However, another chief priority is on the DNS’s mind daily: survey. Poor survey outcomes can have negative …

Medicare Managed Care Basics: Critical Intel for the DNS

Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shows that, as of January 2023, half of all Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation report. Additional CMS data released in June 2023 indicates that although the number of …

Guide to Primary iQIES Reports for the Director of Nursing Services

A systematic approach to utilizing the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES), (formerly CASPER), reports is necessary for QAPI, survey readiness, and reimbursement. While there are numerous reports available via iQIES, this tool highlights the primary reports of interest to the director of nursing services (DNS) and will serve …

2023 update to the AGS Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) released the 2023 update to the AGS Beers Criteria® for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults (DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18372). The AGS Beers Criteria® serves as a comprehensive list of medications that older people should potentially avoid or consider using with caution because they often present …