Heartbreaking decisions, no easy answers, the best of the worst, and lost hope. Welcome to the spectrum of emotions that now fills our days in long-term care
Who cares about Five-Star during a pandemic?
By
Steven Littlehale
Jun 15, 2020
Just as the sun continues to rise, the need to objectively monitor and evaluate care in nursing homes has not ceased, nor has the need for providers to continuously work on quality improvement initiatives.
Stolen valor: Trump administration takes credit for nursing homes’ efforts during pandemic
By
Sondra Norder
Jun 10, 2020
Over the Memorial Day weekend, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma penned an op-ed in Newsweek magazine titled “President Trump’s Early Action to Combat Coronavirus...
The incredible shrinking brain
By
Gary Tetz
May 28, 2020
For those of you seeking a different coping path through this pandemic, might I suggest walking, gardening, swimming or dancing. I say this because a new preliminary study suggests that people who do those...
The nurse guilt Is unbearable
By
Steven Littlehale
May 04, 2020
Amid a deep bout of “nurse guilt,” I feel like I should be doing more.
Post-intensive Care Syndrome — what SNFs need to know
By
Renee Kinder
Apr 23, 2020
These are trying times, but professionally and personally they also represent great opportunities to give our patients our best.
Use of the Incident Command System during infectious disease outbreaks
By
Stan Szpytek
Apr 17, 2020
Compliance with the Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers Final Rule indicates that skilled nursing facilities (SNF) along with other healthcare...
Grim but unwavering: Notes from the COVID-19 epicenter
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 07, 2020
Hopefully, facilities in other parts of the country will be spared what we’re going through in New York City, where 1 in 4 facilities had COVID residents as of last week’s reports. It is, in a word,...
Waiver or not, here I come!
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 28, 2020
The immediate relief I felt when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a blanket waiver 1135 on March 13 was soon replaced with confusion and anxiety.
Focus on life safety during the management of COVID-19
By
Stan Szpytek
Mar 24, 2020
Note: This story was updated on May 12 to reflect new regulatory changes. As skilled nursing facilities around the nation rise to the challenges of managing this current infectious disease outbreak, providers...