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Long-Term Care Survey Alert

Risk Management:
Don't Let Bed Bugs Catch You Asleep at the Wheel
Prevent, detect, safely eradicate these resilient pests. Bed bug infestations can wreak h... Read more
Document Management:
Ditch These Potential Pitfalls to Electronic Records and MDSs
If you don't have policies for these 2 critical practices, now's the time to write them. E... Read more
Medication Safety:
Meds With Sedative Effects Can Add Up to Falls, Respiratory Failure
Is the resident taking an antiepileptic for behavioral issues? Read on. Taking a look at ... Read more
Education:
4 Ways to Get a Bigger Bang for the Buck From Professional Conferences
Check out these preparation and notetaking tips. Attending a conference is a great opport... Read more
Professional Management Tip:
Ready to Ask the Administrator for More Nurses? Consider These Key Factors
Sometimes the staffing numbers aren't the real issue, says expert. Your facility suddenly... Read more
Personal Finance:
Attention, Conference-Goers: Take Advantage of Tax Write-offs
Attending a meeting to boost a career move may be deductible. If your employer reimburses... Read more
Survey & Drug News
CMS is cutting facilities some slack in citing F287 deficiencies. F287 requires facilitie... Read more
Enforcement:
Update Your Narcotic Pain Medication Policy With This Key Change
Nurses can call in some controlled med prescriptions, if they do this first. When nursing... Read more
Survey Trends:
Beware: CMS Increasing the Number of Special Focus Facilities, Escalating Oversight
The agency's tougher stance on SFFs may portend a rougher survey road ahead for all facili... Read more
Survey Management:
5 Ways to Avoid or Get Off the Special Focus Facility List
Don't throw up your hands if you end up an SFF candidate. CMS is widening and toughening ... Read more
Staff Training:
How Would Your Facility Handle These 3 Common Resident-to- Resident Conflicts?
Tips help you defuse altercations and soothe residents at odds with each other. You hear ... Read more
Survey Update:
CMS Officials Provide the Scoop on 4 MDS-Related Changes
Make sure you're using the revised CMS-802 form. The MDS 3.0 is shaking up the survey and... Read more
Clinical & Survey News to Use
Make sure to double check fentanyl patches. Actavis Inc. in October announced a voluntary... Read more
Reader Question:
Is CMS F441 Glucometer Example Revision a Get Out of IJ Free Card?
Legal experts provide the good and bad news. Question: You noted in the last issue of Lon... Read more
Survey Management:
Stay on the Right Track During the MDS 3.0 QI/QM Blackout
Prepare for surveyors to take a much closer look during the initial tour. The MDS 3.0 may... Read more
Infection Control:
Using a Glucometer on More Than One Resident? CMS Clarifies What You Need to Do
One option provides a way out of this tricky infection control issue. Test yourself: Does... Read more
Appendix PP IJ Example for F441 to Omit Failure to Clean Glucometers Between Patients
Reusing fingerstick devices still constitutes IJ, according to the new example. In a rece... Read more
Risk Management:
Tips Help You Identify Quality Concerns During QI/QM 'Blackout'
Make sure your MDS coding is on the mark. Surveyors conducting traditional surveys aren't... Read more
Staffing Management Tips:
Give Staff 2 Vital Resources to Provide Optimal Care: Knowledge and Time
Skimping on this essential activity up front can cost the facility down the road. Ensurin... Read more
Quality Reporting Trends:
Prepare for Changes to Nursing Home Compare
More detailed staffing info may help provide the 'rest of the story' for some facilities.... Read more
Compliance & Clinical News
Looking for help in providing residents the pain medication they require without running ... Read more
Reader Question:
Get the Upper Hand During the QIS Exit Conference
Question: How does the exit conference for the Quality Indicator Survey typically work? W... Read more
Wound Assessment:
Don't Let Pressure Ulcer Impostors Rob You of Solid Clinical and Survey Outcomes
If these wound types aren't on your 'rule out' list, you can't rule out F314 and F309 tag... Read more
Risk Management:
Is Your Facility Vulnerable to Mega-Million Dollar Lawsuits Alleging Staffing Shortfalls?
If you use this method to communicate about staffing concerns, watch out. Skilled Healthc... Read more
Survey Management:
Eliminate F353 Tag Risk for Staffing Issues
Find out what got one facility in hot water in a civil case. Repeated F tags for staffing... Read more
MDS Corner:
Is It a Bruise or Suspected Deep Tissue Injury?
Performing this assessment can help differentiate between the two. Mistaking what's reall... Read more
Hazard Prevention:
4 Critical Strategies Can Boost Siderail Safety
If you aren't making this measurement even without siderails in place, residents could be... Read more
Tool:
Check Out the 7 Entrapment Zones
FDA specifies these measurements for 4 of the zones. The seven areas in the bed system wh... Read more
Survey & MDS News
Ready for surveys without QI/QM reports? Starting Oct. 1 when the MDS 3.0 goes live, CMS ... Read more
Test Yourself:
Are these Statements about Hospice on or off the Mark?
Does your facility and the hospice need a single care plan for a nursing home resident on... Read more
Reader Question:
What Regs, Oversight Should a Facility Provide for Volunteers?
Question: Our facility has increased its size and census over the past year and we are co... Read more
Quality of Care:
Inject These 3 Key Approaches Into Your Medication Review
Find out how these common drugs can trigger the prescribing cascade. Sidestepping unneces... Read more
Disaster Planning:
Fine-tune Your Disaster Plan With This Real-World Case Scenario
Drilling down to the details can help you weather a flood or other catastrophe. A disaste... Read more
Risk Management:
Don't Let Disasters Sink Your Data-Driven Operations
2 broad-stroke efforts protect your electronic and paper medical records. As nursing home... Read more
Quality of Life:
Develop a Systematic Plan for Meeting Residents' Basic Human Need for Touch
Get staff with this program for staff to use touch in their various professional capaciti... Read more
Care Tip:
Integrate Tactile Stimulation and Touch in Activities
An activity expert shares some inside tips for meeting this basic need. Activities provid... Read more
Tool:
These Indicators Can Help Tell You How a Resident Is Responding to Therapeutic Touch
Here's how you'll know that your touch is welcome, says skilled touch expert. Positive In... Read more
MDS 3.0 Corner:
Test Your MDS 3.0 Coding Know How
Try your hand at these questions. 1. When do you do the mood assessment in Section D? A. ... Read more
Clinical News to Use
Are your SNF's rehab therapists obtaining strength measurements on elderly patients? Rese... Read more
READER QUESTION:
Can a Meddling Family Member Spell HIPAA Trouble?
The answer depends on who's telling the person what. Question: How should our facility ha... Read more
Risk Management:
Preempt the Perils of Online Social Media Forums
Prohibit staff from making this No. 1 privacy mistake. Online social forums provide a gre... Read more
Patient Safety:
Make Summer Outings a Breeze With These 6 Safety Strategies
Be on the lookout for this subtle change that can signal dehydration. For many long-term ... Read more
Survey 202:
Tap the Survey Interpretive Guidelines to Stamp Out F Tags
You won't have a leg to stand on if you get IJ for this. If you're looking for an ace up ... Read more
Watch Out for These Immediate Jeopardy Scenarios
An INR of 9 or greater even without bleeding can spell IJ if you don't do this. If you're... Read more
Tool:
Tune In to These Signs of Heat Stroke in the Elderly
This condition warrants a 911 call for an ambulance. The warning signs of heat stroke, wh... Read more
Clinical Tips:
Integrate Liberal Doses of Nonpharmacological Remedies in Your Pain Management Toolkit
Think inside the box for making the most of what you have to combat pain. If notions of n... Read more
MDS Corner:
CMS Adds Another MDS 3.0 Training Session, Posts Revised RAI Manual
Don't miss this key change to UTI coding. CMS is providing another opportunity for in-per... Read more
Survey Management Tip:
Jettison F Tags at the Exit Conference or Before
Hint: The activities documentation may be the ticket for preventing a citation. You know ... Read more
MDS & Clinical News to Use
CMS addresses how to manage MDS 3.0 discharge assessments. The MDS 3.0 requires facilitie... Read more
Survey Management:
Don't Go Out on a Limb: Use This 4-Point Decision Tree for Effective IDR and Appeals
Redefining your idea of a win may pave the way for one. The idea of challenging F tags an... Read more
Clinical Care:
Shore Up Your Clinical Systems for Assessing, Responding to Acute MI
Watch for this common initial sign of a perfusion change. The clock is always ticking whe... Read more
Clinical Tip:
Beware: Pulse Oximetry Can Provide a Misleading Snapshot of O2 Status
An ED nurse expert explains why. Using pulse oximetry to assess a person's oxygenation is... Read more
Care Management :
Turn to SBAR for Handoffs to the Emergency Department
Summing up what's going on can expedite care. You may send a resident with signs of ... Read more
MDS 3.0 Corner:
Comb Through the MDS 3.0 for These 'Rest of the Story' Details for Surveyors
Examples range from fall severity to diabetic ulcers to continence status, and more. If y... Read more
Management 202:
Stop the Revolving Door: Target These 3 Common Management Mistakes
This automatic assumption can put a talented caregiver on an unhappy path. Managerial tac... Read more
Survey & Clinical News to Use
Patients with metastatic prostate cancer now have a new treatment option. The Food & ... Read more
Reader Questions:
A Resident Requests Acupuncture -- Now What?
Question: A post-operative SNF patient and her family want her to have her regular acupun... Read more
Reader Questions:
Should the SNF do a Sig Change MDS Assessment in This Case?
Question: If we have done the 5-day PPS assessment on a resident who goes back to the hos... Read more
Medication Management:
Caring for Patients With Parkinson's Sx? This Review Could Provide a Critical Clue
Your astute assessment could cure the person's symptoms. If you automatically think Parki... Read more
Regulatory Compliance:
How to Navigate DEA's Tougher Stance on Controlled Meds in Nursing Homes
Know what you're up against and 2 ways to work around it. Has tougher Drug Enforcement Ad... Read more
Legislative Trends:
Be Aware of These 2 Healthcare Reform Legislation Measures
Wannabe whistleblowers may soon be trolling your survey records for a qui tam case. The h... Read more
Legislative Trends:
SNF Patients' Excruciating Pain Grabs Senate Subcommittee Attention
Nursing home provider puts a face on delays caused by DEA restrictions on controlled meds... Read more
Caregiver Safety:
5 Tips Help You Steer Clear of Sharps Injuries
Don't stick with this No. 1 bad habit known to cause injuries. Prevention is the best rem... Read more
Ocupational Safety:
Know Your Options for Managing Needlestick Injuries
You should consider HIV prophylaxis in this scenario. Picture this: You're administering ... Read more
MDS 3.0 Corner:
Get Up to Speed on the Latest MDS 3.0 and RUG-IV Developments
Check out a helpful CMS-posted Q&A on MDS 3.0. If you feel like MDS 3.0 and RUG-IV im... Read more
Stress Management Tip:
Tune Out Work-Related 'To Do' Lists and Ruminations With This Simple Strategy
This works well for some busy nurses, says expert. You have a zillion things to do at wor... Read more
Survey & Clinical News to Use
AAHSA-compiled stats help you read between the lines for Medicare initiatives. For one, t... Read more
RESIDENT SAFETY:
Don't Let Renovations or Repairs Impair Your Safety Track Record
Cover the bases with this 4 strategy plan. Maintaining and updating your building can pay... Read more
RISK MANAGEMENT:
Dot the I's, Cross the T's When Managing Residents' Non-Compliance with Skin Care
IJ case highlights the hazards of mishandling this common problem. A resident at high ris... Read more
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT:
Ditch These 5 Modifiable Risks Before They Undermine Your Facility's Liability Profile
If you think you're stuck with fiscal constraints, check out this key advice. You don't w... Read more
MANAGEMENT:
Reduce Caregiver Stress With 3 Key Strategies
This approach to death and dying creates a positive, supportive environment. For long-ter... Read more
STRESS MANAGEMENT:
Take This Balanced Approach to Maintaining Your Wellbeing
Are you focusing on these four aspects of yourself? With the MDS 3.0 and RUGs-IV on the n... Read more
What Do You Think? Does Staying on Top of DAB and ALJ Rulings Pay Off as a Survey Management Strategy?
Doing this instead may provide a bigger bang for your effort. Questions: How advantageous... Read more
MDS 3.0 CORNER:
Be Prepared to Do Discharge MDS Assessments When the MDS 3.0 Goes Live
Find out what CMS may be able to tell based on this assessment. Unless CMS makes a change... Read more
CLINICAL NEWS TO USE
If you're looking for a baseline standard-of-care exercise program for your post-breast c... Read more
WOUND CARE:
Close Your Wound Care Protocol Vulnerabilities With 5 Strategies
One clue will help you avoid an initial big mistake. In the wound care arena, your skin u... Read more
SURVEY MANAGEMENT:
Beware: These 2 Syndromes Will Derail Your Best Survey Management Plans
If you aren't holding these meetings, you're missing a key opportunity. When survey day d... Read more
SURVEY MANAGEMENT:
Are Your Glucometers Putting Your Facility at Risk?
Immediate jeopardy case provides a heads up for all facilities. If your facility isn't cl... Read more
Clinical Tip:
A Simple Strategy Can Head Off Falls and Related Injuries
All you need is this inexpensive device. A caregiver may not always have the time to chec... Read more
STAFF HEALTH PROMOTION:
Boost Your Own Health With This Practical Know-How
To stay on top of your game at work, avoid this No. 1 dietary mistake. To care for others... Read more
TOOL:
Check Out This Sample Wound Care Protocol
Stage III Pressure Ulcer/Full Thickness Skin Loss into Sub-Q Treatment: Wound Preparation... Read more
Staff Health :
Caregivers: Shed Excess Pounds for Good With This Simple Plan
Try these 2 simple strategies in lieu of counting calories. Between the stress of making ... Read more
CLINICAL RESEARCH NEWS TO USE
Got vitamin D? The vitamin captured the spotlight as a fall prevention remedy in a review... Read more
SURVEY MANAGEMENT:
5 Things You Never Want to Happen During the Survey -- and How to Make Sure They Don't
Simple tips stop smokers from setting off fire alarms and staff from going rogue. Anyone ... Read more
QUALITY OF CARE:
A 3-Prong Plan Can Expedite Care for Emergent Conditions
Before you phone the doctor about a patient, make sure to do this. Ensuring residents rec... Read more
Survey Management Tip:
Nervous When Surveyors Watch You Do Med Pass?
Try these quick tricks to avoid getting tripped up. You're getting ready to pour the morn... Read more
RISK MANAGEMENT:
Beware Aberrant Prescribing Patterns Linked to a Provider's Financial Interest in a Product
The OIG 2010 work plan includes looking at this kind of drug use. Imagine reading a newsp... Read more
QUALITY OF CARE:
Create Crystal Clear Phone and Preauthorized Orders With These Tips
A standing order can help or hurt depending on whether you have these controls in place. ... Read more
MDS 3.0 UPDATE:
Get Up to Speed With the MDS 3.0: Here's What You Need to Know Now
The manual sheds light on coding, but prepare for a QI/QM blackout. The MDS 3.0 appears t... Read more
READER QUESTION:
Do ALJ or DAB Rulings Indicate Whether IJ Citations Should Involve Actual Harm?
Question: I'm a new administrator for a nursing home and am surprised that we can get an ... Read more
ASSESSMENT:
Predictive Pain Model Flags Residents at Risk for Having Unrelieved Pain
If a resident coded without pain has these conditions, take a closer look. To identify re... Read more
SURVEY MANAGEMENT:
Follow These 'Lessons Learned' for Staying Off CMS' Special Focus Facility List
Find out how a once troubled facility moved ahead of the QI curve. Learning that your fac... Read more
Look for Pain's Indirect Effects to Identify People Who Need Better Assessment or Rx
Pain can cause increasing cognitive impairment. Pain can be pervasive and show up in a nu... Read more
SURVEY MANAGEMENT:
Got Electronic Health Records? Follow These Strategies for Meeting Surveyors' Needs and Keeping F Tags at Bay
Refusing to do this task can put your facility on the road to decertification. If your fa... Read more
PHARMACY:
To Dispose of Controlled Meds,Your Facility Needs a Well Thought Out Plan
Environmental concerns up the ante for managing this common task. A patient dies or goes ... Read more
Care Tip:
Reiki Can Be an Effective Pain Management and Spiritual Aid
Is your facility incorporating this modality in its toolkit? Opioids remain the gold stan... Read more
SURVEY & CLINICAL NEWS TO USE
CMS has corrected an error in survey guidance for F441 specifying the strength of a disin... Read more
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