Substance Use Disorders: What the DNS Should Know

Over 1 million people aged 65 and over live with substance use disorders (SUD) (Alliance for Aging Research, 2022). As with most trends, what is prevalent in the community will also be prevalent in nursing homes. Therefore, the director of nursing services (DNS) should understand the nuances of this disorder …

CMS Patient Mood Interview (Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ-2 to 9) Video Tutorial

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a video tutorial for completing D0150, Patient Mood Interview (PHQ-2 to 9) and D0160, Total Severity Score. This video depicts two scenarios that demonstrate the coding of the PHQ-2 to 9 for the purposes of completing D0150, Patient Mood Interview (PHQ-2 to …

Facility Assessment Considerations: A DNS Guide at a Glance

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires the facility assessment be reviewed and updated to determine what resources are needed to care for its residents. AAPACN’s Facility Assessment Considerations: A DNS Guide at a Glance tool supports the DNS to collect and analyze data necessary to develop the nursing …

Improve Staff Retention by Following Hiring Best Practices and Elevating the Onboarding Process

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss how the director of nursing services (DNS) can improve staff retention through the onboarding process. Additional Resources:

Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Moral Injury: Keys to Prevention and Mitigation

Protecting and supporting the nursing home workforce is not optional—it is the daily work of managers and leaders, says Patricia McGaffigan, RN, MS, CPPS, senior advisor for safety at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), president of the Certification Board for Professionals in Patient Safety, and co-chair of the National Steering …

F689 Accident Survey Citations: What’s Behind These Immediate Jeopardies?

F-tag 689 (Free of Accident Hazards/Supervision/Devices) was the No. 1 tag cited at the immediate jeopardy (IJ) level in 2023—and remains at the top halfway into 2024, according to QCOR data accessed on June 30, 2024. In many ways, F689 is a catch-all tag, says Angie Szumlinski, LNHA, RN, GERO-BC, …

Taking the Mystery out of the Facility Assessment

Everyone loves a good mystery. Many like to watch their favorite mysteries on television or read a good thriller. However, mystery and suspense should not be a part of the facility assessment review. The final staffing rule released in April 2024 requires all facilities accepting Medicare and Medicaid payments to …

Take a Bad Care Plan and Fix it – Aug. 1, 2024

Members: $24 |  Non-members: $48Continuing Education: 1 CE hour Recording Date: Aug. 1, 2024Duration: 60 minutesSpeaker: Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA A poorly written care plan can have many adverse effects on both the resident and the facility team. Residents may have unmet needs, experience a decline in overall health, and feel dissatisfied …

SNF VBP Early Look Performance Score Report Webinar and Materials

Overview of the Early Look Performance Score Report for the SNF VBP Program The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed and published the Overview of the Early Look Performance Score Report for the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) Program webinar materials, including the slides, recording, transcript, and answers …