The director of nursing services (DNS) and leadership team must identify, document, and manage incidents that may require internal review or external reporting. Use AAPACN’s Reportable Incident Tool to ensure timely response, regulatory compliance, and thorough investigation while supporting resident safety and quality of care. This AAPACN resource is copyright …
AAPACN’s GG Trivia Games are fun education tools to help nurse aides and other direct care staff understand the performance levels and functional tasks for section GG. The nurse assessment coordinator or delegate hosts the GG Trivia Game and direct care staff are the players. The GG Trivia Game comes …
The Dementia Physician Query tool supports accurate clinical documentation by helping providers clarify the type, severity, and associated manifestations of a resident’s dementia diagnosis using information documented in the medical record. The tool also allows providers to identify when diagnostic details, including dementia type, severity, or behavioral manifestations, are unknown …
AAPACN’s ADR Help: HIPPS Code Analyzer interactive tool helps identify the documentation elements that may have contributed to the HIPPS code assigned to an assessment selected for Additional Documentation Request (ADR) review. Designed to support the ADR record review process, the tool highlights the clinical, coding, and documentation areas that …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated the “Staying Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines” guidance several times since requiring COVID-19 vaccinations to be coded on the MDS as of October 2024. Facility teams can track these changes by using AAPACN’s COVID-19 Vaccine “Up to Date” Guidance …
Starting Oct. 1, 2024, additional supporting documentation is required to capture a diagnosis of sepsis at I2100, Septicemia on the MDS. Nurse assessment coordinators can use the AAPACN Sepsis: Nurse Documentation Training Aid to provide guidance to nurses on assessment and documentation needs when a resident is diagnosed with sepsis. …
The AAPACN ICD-10-CM Coding Decision Tool: Obesity and BMI Reporting helps long-term care staff accurately determine when BMI and obesity-related ICD-10-CM codes can be reported while ensuring compliance with provider documentation requirements. This tool guides users through coding decisions, clarifies the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) non-therapy ancillary (NTA) point impacts, …
Orientation for a new nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) is a very complex and long process. It is important to establish a realistic schedule that will allow for effective learning but will not be overwhelming. AAPACN’s new 10-Week NAC Orientation Guide will help pace the orientation process and set the foundation …
This tool is designed to help facilities ensure the safe, appropriate, and compliant use of psychotropic medications. It guides staff through a structured review of each resident’s medication, including diagnosis support, informed consent, behavior documentation, non-pharmalogical interventions, gradual dose reductions, and care plan alignment. By using this audit regularly, facilities …
This quick reference tool helps interdisciplinary team members accurately distinguish between traumatic and pathological fractures for ICD-10-CM and MDS coding. It provides side-by-side guidance on coding rules, 7th character use, section I diagnosis coding (including I8000), and MDS item J1900C (falls with major injury). Use this tool to improve coding …
