Supporting Those Who Stand at the Bedside: A Message to Directors of Nursing Services

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. Successful leadership in long-term and post-acute care is not defined solely by metrics or regulatory results. It is also measured by what residents experience every day and by the staff who care for them. The reach of the …

Nurse Leaders: It’s Time to Take on the Role of Data Detective

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. While the director of nursing services (DNS) and other nurse leaders should keep residents at the heart of every decision, data should provide the framework for those decisions to help residents achieve the best possible quality of care …

From Coding to Compliance: Avoiding Pitfalls in the 2026 MDS Landscape  

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. By: Kristine Martinez BSN, RN, RAC-CT, RAC-CTA, QCP, DNS-CT and Lavatus Donaldson LPN, BPS-HIM, RAC-CT, MBA, QCP With the multiple regulatory bodies that govern long term care (LTC) and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), it is easy to feel …

Managing Resident Behaviors Before and After a Catastrophic Incident

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. The director of nursing services (DNS) faces two key behavioral health issues that have unfolded simultaneously: Residents with behavioral health concerns are increasingly common in nursing homes, and federal and state scrutiny of psychotropic medication use has become …

ICD-10-CM Coding Spotlight Series – Part 2: Navigating Genitourinary Conditions in Long-Term Care

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. As National Kidney Month arrives in March, so does an important reminder: our kidneys work quietly every day, filtering waste, balancing fluids, and supporting overall health. Now is the perfect time for facility coders in long-term care (LTC) …

How the NAC and the IDT Can Be Predictive vs. Reactive With QM Data: AAPACN 2026 Conference Highlight

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. The watchword that increasingly defines federal (and some state) programs that drive nursing home operations and payment is connectedness, says Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC, director of reimbursement and education for Pathway Health in …

MDS Accuracy: It’s Time to Get Back to the Basics

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. All signs point to one universal truth for the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC): MDS accuracy is paramount, says Joel VanEaton, BSN, RN, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, RAC-CT, executive vice president of post-acute care regulatory affairs and education for Broad …

Clinical Judgment for the MDS: Code Sections GG and J with Confidence

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. Nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) are often tasked with navigating the complex process of following the Minimum Data Set (MDS) instructions precisely while still ensuring they reflect the resident’s true clinical picture. In many situations, the answer is not …

Defensive Documentation: Protecting Residents, Protecting Care

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. In today’s regulatory environment, accurate and timely nursing home documentation is more than dutifully recounting what occurred to a resident on a given day. Rather it is a legal record that ideally describes resident care, assures regulatory compliance, …

Change Management: How to Implement and Sustain Positive Change

Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. Change Management: How to Implement and Sustain Positive Change A Greek philosopher once pointed out that “change is the only constant in life.” More than 2,500 years later, change remains constant—and it can be a positive force in …