MDS Alert
Don't Worry if Your Facility Lacks an AIIR
Question: Our facility doesn’t have an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR). Does that mean we need to transfer any residents who test positive for COVID-19? North Carolina Subscriber Answer: No, says Lieutenant Commander Kara Jacobs Slifka, MD, MPH, a member of the U.S. Public Health Service and a medical officer from the COVID-19 Response Clinical Team. “An airborne infection isolation room is not required for the care of residents with suspect or confirmed COVID-19. The use of an AIIR, if available, should be prioritized for aerosol-generating procedures,” she says. “Ideally, a resident with COVID-19 is placed in a single-person room with a private bathroom. But room sharing and cohorting may be necessary. We also recognize that many long-term care facilities have very limited single-person rooms. So, transfer really should be considered only if a resident, clinically, is requiring a higher or different level of care,” she adds.
MDS Alert
- Surveys and Compliance:
Know How this Special Survey Guidance May Affect You
Surveyors will be looking for infection control and prevention measures. The Centers for Medicare & [...] - Keep Abreast of CMS Emergency Adjustments
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released myriad paperwork, environment, transportation, isolation, [...] - Novel Coronavirus:
Look for This Variety of Symptoms
Elderly people may present differently; know what to look for. Statistically, the disease COVID-19 and [...] - Documentation:
Brush Up on Electronic Signature Rules
Don’t let a signature snafu cause issues. Nursing facilities can utilize electronic signatures for clinical [...] - Reader Question:
Don't Worry if Your Facility Lacks an AIIR
Question: Our facility doesn’t have an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR). Does that mean we [...] - Reader Question:
Clean These Surfaces, Too
Question: Our janitorial staff know to clean doorknobs and other high-touch surfaces in our facility. [...] - Reader Question:
Code Isolation When Situation Fits These Requirements
Question: How do I correctly document our facility’s efforts when a resident requires isolation to [...]
