HHS Office of Civil Rights: Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities Final Rule

AGENCY: Office for Civil Rights, Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Final rule and interpretation. SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or the Department) is issuing this final rule regarding …

How the Occupational Therapist Can Collaborate with the Director of Nursing Services

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Colleen Oakley, OTR/L NHA RAC-CT, senior director of operations for Rehab America and treasurer and member of the AAPACN Board of Directors, discuss ways that the occupational therapist (OT) can collaborate with the …

How to Hire the Best NP—Even if Someone Else Is Doing the Hiring

The director of nursing services (DNS) in a nursing home often is presented with a newly hired nurse practitioner (NP) or other advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) as a fait accompli (i.e., a done deal), but no matter who is hiring the NP, the DNS should get involved and ask …

Working With NPs and Other APRNs: Learn to Maximize the Benefits

Increasingly, nurse practitioners (NPs) and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), also known as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), work either directly for or closely with nursing homes to improve resident care outcomes—as do physician assistants (PAs). That growth may accelerate as providers transition to more value-based payment models amid the ongoing …

Isolation Coding on the MDS: MAC Target Drives Home Documentation Needs

Almost all nursing homes are currently staffing-challenged, and that has a direct impact on the quality of the documentation available to support MDS coding, points out Brenda Sowash, RN, RAC-CT, director of clinical assessments, standards, and practices for Trinity Health Senior Communities in Livonia, MI. “Nursing staff have to prioritize …

Section GG: Key Insights into Determining Usual Performance

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss key insights to determine section GG usual performance.