The Long-Term Care Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) 3.0 User’s Manual (RAI User’s Manual) version 1.20.1, effective Oct. 1, 2025, will bring major changes to section O of the MDS 3.0. The most significant update introduces item O0390, Therapy Services, replacing most of the current O0400 (Therapies) and removing O0420 (Distinct …
The nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) plays an essential role in capturing a resident’s cognitive status by coordinating and coding the Staff Assessment for Mental Status in the Minimum Data Set (MDS). The Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) remains the preferred approach. But in certain situations, staff observations must be …
The American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) surveys nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) every other year on aspects of their work, salary, and time. The 2025 AAPACN NAC Work Study and Salary Report offers valuable insights into the challenges NACs face that can help with staff retention. The study also …
When completing any Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment, accurate coding of A0310E is critical. This item is completed on OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), scheduled PPS (Prospective Payment System), and OBRA discharge assessments. It asks, “Is this assessment the first assessment since the most recent admission/entry or reentry?” How this …
In the fast-paced position of a nurse assessment coordinator (NAC), keeping track of all the residents’ whereabouts can be challenging. The NAC must know who is coming into the facility and if this resident is a new admission or a readmission, as well as who has left—whether on a leave …
The long-stay Quality Measures (QMs), Percent of Residents with a Urinary Tract Infection and Percent of Residents Who Have/Had a Catheter Inserted and Left in Their Bladder, have straightforward methodology but complex underlying implications. Managing these QMs and achieving desired outcomes requires the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) and the interdisciplinary …
In long-term care (LTC) facilities, many residents need care for chronic and acute respiratory problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, tracheostomy, and post-COVID complications. LTC nurses need to know how to manage these complex conditions. In many situations, the care meets the criteria of respiratory therapy per …
Quality Measure (QM) reporting on pressure ulcers is a significant metric used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help ensure that nursing homes provide high-quality care to vulnerable residents. Those residents with impaired mobility, chronic health issues, and complex comorbidities have a higher risk of developing …
Monitoring and reducing the use of antipsychotic medications is a high priority for many nursing facilities. Top concerns are the increased risk of adverse effects for residents taking these medications, the scrutiny of their management by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the impact of their use …
Section GG has greatly evolved since 2016. It was first introduced as just a few functional items completed only for Medicare Part A residents, but now it requires 26 functional tasks for all long-term care residents. The accuracy of section GG not only impacts reimbursement but also plays a fundamental …
