CMS QSSAM memo: Reminder: Upcoming Deadline for Sprinkler System Requirement

Reminder: Upcoming Deadline for Sprinkler System Requirement for Existing Health Care Occupancies in High-Rise Buildings Memo # QSSAM-26-02-ALL Posting Date 2026-03-09 Fiscal Year 2026 Downloads Memorandum Summary • This memorandum is intended to remind CMS-certified facilities classified by the Life Safety Code (LSC) as existing heath care occupancies and located …

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 …

FY 2027 SNF VBP March 2026 Quarterly Reports Available

The March 2026 Quarterly Confidential Feedback Reports for the fiscal year (FY) 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) Program are now available to download via the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES). These reports contain consolidated summaries of SNFs’ historical measure results, performance scores, and incentive payment …

Aligned at the Top: The DNS/Administrator Partnership

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 for AAPACN, discuss how directors of nursing services and administrators can strengthen their partnership, improve communication, and navigate the …

CDC Project Firstline Health Professions Infection Control Education Toolkit

CDC’s Project Firstline released a new resource to support teaching faculty in bringing infection control concepts into the classroom. The new toolkit includes adaptable educational resources, including a journal club with discussion guides and learning activities that can be integrated into health professions and public health curricula to help prepare …

CMS Healthcare Provider Guidance: Emergency Preparedness Frequent Citations

Emergency Preparedness for Every Emergency Effective Health Care Provider Emergency Planning Sound, timely planning provides the foundation for effective emergency management. The response to an emergency can impact an entire community and can involve numerous medical and public health entities, including health care provider systems, public health departments, emergency medical services, …

TIP: CDC Releases New Sepsis Prevention Tool

Nursing home residents are at risk of developing infections that can lead to sepsis, which is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention to prevent severe morbidity and mortality. The Sepsis Prevention Assessment Tool (SPAT) for Nursing Homes released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), identifies gaps in …

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 …