One of a nursing student’s most exciting milestones is purchasing a stethoscope. In addition to serving as a critical tool, the stethoscope is also a symbol signifying that the nursing student has taken a leap …
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a new emergency temporary standard for healthcare settings that includes skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). This standard requires SNFs to conduct a hazard assessment and have a written …
Question: What assessments should my facility be completing for residents who are readmitted? Answer from Michelle Stuercke, DNP, MSN, MPH, LNHA: It often happens that residents have a change in their fall risk, skin risk, …
CMS provides a current list of F-tags by regulatory grouping used in the Long-term Care Survey Process (LTCSP) CMS updated the tag list on June 19, 2021. List of Revised FTags [Effective 06/19/2021] (PDF) From …
This ZIP file contains resources for surveyors conducting initial surveys under the Long-term Care Survey Process (LTCSP). It is a one-stop shop containing a multitude of reference materials that are provided to the surveyors going into …
On May 11, 2021, CMS published an interim final rule with comment period that added new COVID-19 vaccination reporting requirements for nursing home staff and residents. CMS has provided a four-week grace period for facilities …
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Interim final rule; request for comments. SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is issuing an emergency temporary standard (ETS) to protect healthcare …
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is releasing revised reporting requirements for recipients of Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments. This announcement includes expanding the amount …
COVID-19 Vaccination As part of CMS’ commitment to protecting nursing home residents, nursing homes are now required to report vaccinations of residents and staff. More information about these requirements and guidelines can be found here. High staff …
US Department of Labor’s OSHA issues emergency temporary standardto protect health care workers from the coronavirusOSHA also releases new guidance for all industries WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration …
Most recent updates: June 9, 2021 CDC’s NHSN provides healthcare facilities, such as long-term care facilities (LTCFs), with a secure reporting platform for reporting outcomes and process measures in a systematic way. Reported data are immediately …
June 9, 2021 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is sharing the following alerts from the White House and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Organizations are encouraged …
Incontinence is a common issue for many of our residents. In fact, almost 50% of residents in a nursing home present with some type of incontinence. This education will discuss urinary incontinence along with the …
Urinary incontinence (UI), defined as any involuntary leakage of urine, affects over half the population living in post-acute long-term care (PALTC) and costs an estimated 5.5 billion annually, according to the Society for Post-Acute and …
“Against medical advice” (AMA) is a term that nursing homes use to describe a resident unexpectedly leaving the facility in a self- or representative-initiated discharge that is inconsistent with their identified care needs. “Some providers …
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has developed a new PPE tracking tool along with a user’s guide to assist facilities in identifying performance patterns and to target improvement areas regarding PPE use.The …
Question: Do adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine need to be recorded on the OSHA log? Answer from OSHA QuickTakes, June 1 : OSHA does not wish to discourage staff members from receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, …
Meet four rising stars in long-term and post-acute care – the AAPACN Education Foundation 2021 Scholarship recipients. The AAPACN Education Foundation positively impacts the lives of 1.4 million people living in nursing homes by providing …
The 2021 National Impact Assessment of CMS Quality Measures Report (2021 Impact Assessment Report) has been posted on the CMS website. CMS assesses the quality and efficiency impact of endorsed measures every three years. The …
MACs Resume Medical Review on a Post-payment Basis: Beginning August 2020, Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) resumed post-payment reviews of items and services with dates of service before March 2020. MACs may now begin conducting post-payment …
The June issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology includes the following new guidelines: ACG Clinical Guidelines: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Clostridioides difficile InfectionsKelly, et al. New ACG Guidelines were authored to address C. difficile infection, bacteria that often causes …
In celebration of Nurses Week 2021, the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) Leading In Care Blog will recognize an AAPACN 2021 Award winner each week in May. Winners were honored at the AAPACN …
These resources allow nursing home staff to accurately collect, record, and file all the necessary information to document COVID-19 vaccine status for nursing home staff and residents. Resident Vaccine Administration Record for COVID-19 (PDF, 270 KB)This …
Note: These tools also go with the general AHRQ tool for how to conduct observational audits at https://www.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/nursing-home/materials/observational-audits.pdf. The Personal Protective Equipment COVID-19 Observational Audit Data Tracking Tool and User Guide help nursing homes identify performance …
Performance & Budget The CMS FY 2022 budget request has been finalized and submitted to Congress. This Congressional Justification of the budget presents the resource requests for programs, focuses on key performance measures, and summarizes …
The following data sets were updated May 1 and released May 26 at https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/search?theme=Nursing%20homes%20including%20rehab%20services: FY 2021 SNF VBP Facility-Level Dataset This dataset contains facility-specific performance information for the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Skilled Nursing Facility …
The NHSN Long-term Care Facility Component supports the nation’s COVID-19 response through the LTCF COVID-19 Module. Facilities eligible to report data to NHSN’s COVID-19 Module include nursing homes/skilled nursing, long-term care for the developmentally disabled, and assisted …
In celebration of Nurses Week 2021, the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) Leading In Care Blog will recognize an AAPACN 2021 Award winner each week in May. Winners were honored at the AAPACN …
Hand hygiene has always been a primary focus of infection prevention, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is under intense scrutiny. Even though the skill of hand hygiene is straightforward and easy to learn, …
Falls are common in nursing homes—they are a driver of surveyor citations under F-tag 689 (Free of Accident Hazards/Supervision/Devices), which is consistently among the top three survey citations nationwide, according to the S&C QCOR online …
The newest Five-Star data is to be released on the Care Compare website on May 26, 2021. AAPACN recommends reviewing this data on the website to ensure it is correct, especially if the Five-Star preview …
Question: What will happen to the online AADNS communities, discussion groups, and libraries? Answer from AAPACN: The AADNS Network has become a new member community named the Management/Leadership General Discussion community on AAPACN.org. The discussion …
COVID-19 in Nursing Homes: Most Homes Had Multiple Outbreaks and Weeks of Sustained Transmission from May 2020 through January 2021 GAO analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that, …
Invest in Trust: A Guide for Building COVID-19 Vaccine Trust Among Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) is designed to help nursing home leaders build COVID-19 vaccine confidence among CNAs and overcome barriers to vaccination by applying insights …
Long-Term Care Community Champions Videos – Voices from the Front Lines. Nursing home staff from multiple departments share their COVID-19 vaccination experiences: Long-Term Care Community Champions – Video #1 Long-Term Care Community Champions – Video #2 …
List of Blanket Waivers (PDF) UPDATED (5/24/2021). Note from AAPACN staff: CMS unintentionally removed the update that made the SNF/NF section consistent with the May 10 QSO memo expirations (https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-21-17-nh.pdf). Please see the May 10 …
These address issues related to SNF consolidated billing, telehealth, and other Medicare coverage and payment issues. Frequently Asked Questions to Assist Medicare Providers (PDF) UPDATED (5/24/21) Medicare Monoclonal Antibody COVID-19 Infusion Program Instruction (PDF) (4/16/21) Frequently …
The Five Star Preview Reports will be available on May 18, 2021. To access these reports, select the CASPER Reporting link located on the CMS QIES Systems for Providers page. Once in the CASPER Reporting …
In celebration of Nurses Week 2021, the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) Leading In Care Blog will recognize an AAPACN 2021 Award winner each week in May. Winners were honored at the AAPACN …
Considerations for Long-Term Care Facilities on Acquiring COVID-19 Vaccination Resources The purpose of this document is to provide long-term care facilities (LTCFs) with information about acquiring COVID-19 vaccination resources for staff and residents. All LTCF …
Disparities & Culturally Competent Care: Fostering Cultural Competence This section includes a collection of assessment tools, educational and learning materials, research articles and resources that are curated to help medical professionals and institutions provide culturally …
Nursing homes have been at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents in these homes have been particularly affected by the disease, as they are predominantly elderly individuals who have underlying medical conditions and live …
Weekly health care personnel (HCP) & Resident COVID-19 Vaccination Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Data Reporting Long-term care facilities can track weekly COVID-19 vaccination data for residents and healthcare personnel (HCP) through NHSN. Training Updates to Reporting …
CMS Quality, Safety, & Oversight memo QSO-21-19-NH includes new interpretive guidance for surveyors for F887 (COVID-19 Immunization), as well as updated investigative procedures, potential tags for additional investigation, and survey tools. In addition, the memo …
While many nursing homes thankfully are no longer in crisis staffing mode, recruiting staff remains a top priority in a highly competitive job market. “Staff recruitment breaks down into meeting two overarching challenges,” says Julie …
By CMS COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements for Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs-IID) Residents, Clients, and Staff Link to CMS release: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-expanding-efforts-grow-covid-19-vaccine-confidence-and-uptake-amongst-nations-most-vulnerable AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid …
“Across the country, the high rate of turnover in long-term care is a serious workforce problem,” says Dr. Linda Shell, DNP, MA, BSN, DNS-CT, Chief Learning Officer, LindaShell.com. “The cost associated with this turnover—the organizational …
On May 11, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new interim final rule and QSO memo regarding new COVID-19 vaccination immunization requirements for residents and staff. Facilities will now be …
Question: Will I still be able to access AADNS courses that I am currently taking on the new AAPACN website? Answer from AAPACN: Yes. You still have access to any courses that have not expired …
AAPACN’s latest set of tools provides nurse leaders with guidance on how to best utilize the pharmacy’s services and expertise and assists nurse leaders to collaborate with the pharmacist and maximize his or her expertise …
NHSN hosted a live webinar training for the updates to the weekly COVID-19 Vaccination modules. If you missed this live training, don’t worry, NHSN will rebroadcast this training for more times followed by a live …
In celebration of Nurses Week 2021, the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) Leading In Care Blog will recognize an AAPACN 2021 Award winner each week in May. Winners were honored at the AAPACN …
By CMS The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering web-based training that provides an overview of the general and key clinical considerations important for conducting standardized cognitive and mood assessments. This four-course …
By CMS On May 5, 2021, as a part of CMS’ ongoing COVID response efforts to support the long term care community, CMS debuted its first social media videos highlighting staff, also referred to as …
By the OIG Report OEI-07-19-00490 The Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s (CMS’s) use of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) as the sole data source to count the …
The past year has brought a multitude of changes for everyone, but especially those in nursing homes. While the public health emergency (PHE) situation continues to evolve, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) …
New tool provides innovative solutions for states and facilities to protect our nation’s vulnerable nursing home residents during emergency CMS has released a Toolkit for States to Mitigate COVID-19 in Nursing Homes (PDF) UPDATED (5/25/21) developed to …
The 2021 AAPACN Conference featured a highly-anticipated session, “ReFOCUS: 2021 CMS Regulatory Updates,” in which representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shared their insights on current regulatory challenges and future regulatory …
Mental and behavioral healthcare is one of many resident care needs that transitioned to telehealth (i.e., telephone or video visits) in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, …
By Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA Have you ever stopped to ask, “How did life amidst a pandemic affect my ability to be a good nurse leader in post-acute care or any …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) update the Nursing Home Visitation – COVID-19 memo, QSO-20-39-NH, and the Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC, Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public …
Question: How do you access 2021 AAPACN Conference sessions you wanted to see but may have missed? Answer: Members who registered for the 2021 AAPACN Conference but were unable to view a session live can …
On Thursday April 8, 2021, CMS issued the QSO-21-17-NH announcing the end of the following three blanket waivers: 1. The emergency blanket waivers related to notification of Resident Room or Roommate changes, and Transfer and Discharge notification …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in an April 8, 2021, QSO memo the following updates: • CMS is announcing that select blanket waivers are ending: o The emergency blanket waivers related to notification …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Spread in Nursing Homes. This guidance merges two prior documents (Responding to COVID-19 in Nursing Homes …
The safety of residents is a top priority for a skilled nursing facility (SNF). But how does one promote safety in such a dynamic environment? Three critical steps the director of nursing services (DNS) and …
While areas of concern related to medication administration (i.e., medication pass or med pass) are specific to each facility, there are certain common issues. Directors of nursing services (DNSs) can use the following tips to …
by AAPACN To meet the needs of medically complex residents, a holistic, individualized approach to care is required, including when a resident is at risk for a decline or change in condition. This guide provides …
Author: Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-CT, QCP Question: Can a CNA cut, trim, or even color a resident’s hair? This question has come up as we are into the pandemic and our beautician has …
On April 8, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released for public inspection the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Proposed Rule for the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) and Consolidated Billing, …
Summary of Recent Changes Updates as of March 29, 2021 Two prior guidance documents, “Responding to COVID-19 in Nursing Homes” and “Performing Facility-wide SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Nursing Homes” were merged with this guidance. The criteria …
Two new resources from AHRQ are part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect nursing home residents and staff from COVID-19. Both are intended to support the use of observational audits, which help facilities understand …
NEW TRAINING AVAILABLE – Resident Mood Interview (PHQ-9) for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Setting Video Tutorial CMS Resident Mood Interview (PHQ-9) for the SNF Setting Video Tutorial The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services …
Memo # QSO-21-15-ALL Posting Date 2021-03-26 Fiscal Year 2021 Summary Burden Reduction Final Rule Interpretive Guidelines: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is releasing interpretive guidelines and updates to Appendix Z of the …
The FDA posted a new web page SARS-CoV-2 Viral Mutations: Impact on COVID-19 Tests for clinical laboratory staff and health care providers about the impact of viral mutations on COVID-19 molecular, antigen, and serology tests. This web …
Attention QIES Users: CMS is in compliance with disposition authority N1-440-09-03 and only retains assessment and supporting data that is less than 10 years old in the QIES National database. Therefore, assessment-based quality measures generated in …
ASPR TRACIE (part of the US Department of Health and Human Services) received a request for information on clinical presentation, disease progression, and related information from clinicians in the field treating COVID-19 patients after the …
Interim Estimates of Vaccine Effectiveness of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 COVID-19 Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Health Care Personnel, First Responders, and Other Essential and Frontline Workers — Eight U.S. Locations, December 2020–March 2021 …
https://www.cms.gov/how-update-nursing-home-nhskilled-nursing-facility-snf-demographic-data SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) quality data on Care Compare are updated on a quarterly basis. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be transitioning to a new data source for providers’ demographic data for all five …
Transmittal 10678, dated March 16, 2021, is being rescinded and replaced by Transmittal 10693, dated, March 25, 2021 to remove business requirement 12212.2, to modify business requirement 12212.3 to remove the reference to any action …
It’s hard to believe that it has been a year since the first nursing home resident contracted the novel coronavirus. Our way of living changed drastically, especially in long-term care. In-person visitation ended, and residents …
While data on hospital readmissions of skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents who have had COVID-19 following SNF discharge currently remains scarce, at least one study indicates the need for careful management of the discharge planning …
Question: I have a resident who dropped off the active resident list on the MDS 3.0 Resident Level Quality Measure Report, but is still in our facility and receiving services. He was never physically discharged …
Date 2021-03-23 Event Long-Term Care: Dementia-related Psychosis Call Topic Dementia Care in Nursing Homes When: Tuesday, March 23, 2021, from 1:30 to 3 pm ET Event Materials: Presentation (PDF) Audio recording (ZIP) Transcript (PDF) Description: National …
Guidance released March 10, 2021 regarding Updated Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations in Response to COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC affects only select elements of the current Nursing Home ICAR tool until an updated version of the …
Note from staff: This lawsuit, brought by the now director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, not only alleges problems with the discharge process, it alleges that SNFs submitted false data to …
Enforcement Memoranda Interim Enforcement Response Plan https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/standards#temp_enforcement_guidance OSHA’s interim enforcement response plan memoranda provide instructions and guidance to Area Offices and compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) for handling COVID-19-related complaints, referrals, and severe illness …
CMS Use of Data on Nursing Home Staffing: Progress and Opportunities To Do More (OEI-04-18-00451) The OIG has made four key recommendations related to staffing that CMS concurred with. These recommendations state that CMS should: Provide …
REGISTRATION OPEN – SNF QRP: Achieving a Full APU The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a webinar on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET to educate …
Note: The Access to Ombudsman information is highlighted in red in the memo, but that is what was revised in July. The new updates focus on the updated Q&As under the section, Individuals Entering and …
On March 10, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), issued updated guidance for nursing homes to safely expand visitation options during …
Summary · What is already known about this topic? Skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents, generally older and with more underlying medical conditions than community-dwelling adults, were not included in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. Little is …
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) releases its March 2021 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. The report includes MedPAC’s analyses of payment adequacy in traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare and reviews the status of Medicare Advantage …
OSHA launches program to protect high-risk workers from coronavirus, focuses on employers that retaliate against workers with safety concerns WASHINGTON, DC – In response to President Biden’s executive order on protecting worker health and safety, the …
High nursing staff turnover in nursing homes offers important quality information Gandhi A, Yu H, Grabowski DC. Health Aff (Millwood). 2021 Prior research has found that high nursing staff turnover is associated with lower patient safety culture. …
Updated Mar. 10, 2021 Find the most recent update here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-after-vaccination.html CDC guidance for SARS-CoV-2 infection may be adapted by state and local health departments to respond to rapidly changing local circumstances. On this page Visitation …
NOTE: CMS revised guidance on March 10, 2021 for nursing home visitation during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which supersedes the visitation guidance in this memo. See CMS memorandum QSO-20-39-NH Revised, Nursing Home Visitation-COVID-19. ————————————————————————————————- …
Mar 10, 2021 Nursing homes have been severely impacted by COVID-19, with outbreaks causing high rates of infection, morbidity, and mortality.[1] The vulnerable nature of the nursing home population, combined with the inherent risks of congregate …
