CDC NHSN LTCF Respiratory Pathogens Module
August 2025 Updates Weekly RP Summary – Data Collection Forms and Instructions LTCF Resident From https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/ltc/weekly-covid-vac/index.html
FY 2026 SNF VBP Resources
From https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/nursing-home-improvement/value-based-purchasing From https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/nursing-home-improvement/value-based-purchasing/confidential-feedback-reporting-review-and-corrections From https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/nursing-home-improvement/value-based-purchasing/scoring-methodology-payment-adjustment
FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Code Updates and Coding Guidelines for Oct. 1, 2025 From CMS/CDC
CDC announces new ICD-10-CM codes effective October 1, 2025. The October 1, 2025 diagnosis code update files are now available. Use these files for discharges occurring from October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026, and for patient encounters occurring from October 1, 2025 -September 30, 2026. The files in the 2026 …
Is Your Facility Ready for Respiratory Illness Season?
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 Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, director of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, discuss what to do to prepare for respiratory illness season.
Podcast (ltc_don_chat): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:22 — 4.8MB) | Embed
Keys to Prioritizing Resident Safety in High Summer Heat and Sunlight
Summer usually is a time for nursing home residents to experience social outdoor activities and meals. It could mean attending barbecues, picnics, parades, outdoor concerts, or baseball games, gardening or birdwatching, doing outdoor crafts, or even just taking the air on the patio or another outside space. However, summer fun …
FY 2026 SNF PPS Final Rule: More Money and Consistency, Less Burden
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) did not propose any changes to the previously adopted quality measure (QM) sets for either the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) or the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing program (SNF VBP) in the Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment …
Post-Fall Intervention Planning Guide
After a resident falls, staff need to identify appropriate, resident-specific interventions that can help ensure a fall does not reoccur. AAPACN’s Post-Fall Intervention Planning Guide is designed to promote this process through an analysis of risk factors and ensure consistent implementation of evidence-based practices. This AAPACN resource is copyright protected. …
A Fresh Perspective on Fall Prevention in LTPAC
Falls remain one of the most persistent and expensive challenges in long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) settings. For the director of nursing services (DNS), the responsibility to decrease fall risk while maintaining resident dignity and autonomy is a delicate balance. Conventional approaches, such as checklists, environmental modifications, and routine assessments, …
2025 AAPACN NAC Work Study and Salary Report Highlights
In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss key findings from the 2025 AAPACN NAC Work Study and Salary Report. Additional Resources: Nurse Assessment Coordinator …
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2025 NAC Work Study and Salary Report: Support NACs and Determine FTE Needs
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 …