Implement a Survey Preparedness Program: How to Be Survey-Ready All Year Long

On May 11, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ended certain emergency waivers; put in place during the public health emergency, these waived some F-tag elements that would otherwise have applied during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the ending of these waivers, surveyors will resume …

Guide to Primary iQIES Reports for the Director of Nursing Services

A systematic approach to utilizing the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES), (formerly CASPER), reports is necessary for QAPI, survey readiness, and reimbursement. While there are numerous reports available via iQIES, this tool highlights the primary reports of interest to the director of nursing services (DNS) and will serve …

Avoid Playing Psychotropic Shell Games to Resolve Resident Behaviors

Antipsychotic drug use among long-stay residents decreased steadily from 31 percent in 2011 to 22 percent in 2019, according to the November 2022 report Long-Term Trends of Psychotropic Drug Use in Nursing Homes from the Office of Inspector General (OIG). However, the use of anticonvulsants (another category of psychotropic medications) …

F694: Keys to Admitting Residents With Infusion Therapy Needs

Prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) were gearing up to take more medically complex fee-for-service Medicare Part A residents, including residents with infusion therapy needs, as a result of the payment changes under the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), notes Corinne A. Bishop, RN, CRRN, …

How SNFs Can Address CMS’s New Enhanced Enforcements for Infection Control Deficiencies

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, AAPACN curriculum development specialist, discuss the new enhanced enforcements for infection control deficiencies released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services …

The “Personal” in Personal Property Matters—Even With Suspected Illegal Substances

F557 (Respect, Dignity/Right to Have Personal Property) is one of the shorter F-tags in terms of the amount of guidance provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), coming in at well under two pages out of the 863 total pages in Appendix PP of the State Operations …

Long-Term Care Survey Process Basics: What the NAC Needs to Know to Prepare for Survey

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), “Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and nursing facilities (NFs) are required to be in compliance with the requirements in 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, to receive payment under the Medicare or Medicaid programs. To certify a SNF or NF, a …

Two IJ Generators: Emergency Trach Care and New Respiratory Care Needs

In calendar year (CY) 2022, F-tag 695 (Respiratory/Tracheostomy Care and Suctioning) was the 13th most-cited at the immediate jeopardy (IJ) level. In comparison, F695 was the 17th most frequent citation at the IJ level in CY 2021 and the 21st most frequent in pre-pandemic 2019, according to QCOR data accessed …

Respiratory Care: Lay the Groundwork to Avoid Common Citations

In calendar year (CY) 2022, F-tag 695 (Respiratory/Tracheostomy Care and Suctioning) was the 11th most commonly cited F-tag nationwide. In comparison, F695 was the 16th most common citation overall in CY 2021 and only the 20th most common overall in pre-pandemic 2019, according to QCOR data accessed on Feb. 3, …

Special Focus Facilities – Part 2

In this podcast, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, vice president of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, AAPACN curriculum development specialist, discuss the latest updates to The Special Focus Facility Program in part two of the Special Focus Facilities …