Ask the nursing expert: How should we begin to prepare for influenza season?
By
Amy Stewart
Oct 01, 2020
How should we begin to prepare for influenza season?
Ask the nursing expert: How can we improve collaboration to better help our hospice residents while avoiding...
By
Amy Stewart
Feb 02, 2020
We received several survey citations for not collaborating with hospice. How can we improve collaboration to better help our hospice residents while avoiding citations?
Ask the nursing expert: What tasks should the infection preventionist be assigned?
By
Amy Stewart
Nov 11, 2019
What tasks should the infection preventionist be assigned? Specific tasks vary, depending on factors like program maturity, resident population, and number and types of infections present. You may want...
Ask the Nursing Expert: Getting ready to submit high-acuity residents under PDPM
By
Judi Kulus, MSN, MAT, RN, NHA, RAC-MT, DNS-CT
Mar 07, 2019
Under the Patient-Driven Payment Model, skilled nursing facilities are likely to treat higher acuity residents and surveyors’ attention to appropriate admissions and avoidable readmissions will intensify.
Ask the Nursing Expert about … culturally competent care requirements
By
Judi Kulus, MSN, MAT, RN, NHA, RAC-MT, DNS-CT
Jun 08, 2018
I thought culturally competent care requirements weren’t effective until Nov. 28, 2019, the Phase 3 deadline. Why are facilities getting cited now?
Ask the Nursing Expert about … EHR transitions
By
Judi Kulus, MSN, MAT, RN, NHA, RAC-MT, DNS-CT
Apr 08, 2018
My company just announced the purchase of a new electronic health record system. As the director of nursing, how can I smooth the nursing department’s transition to it?
Ask the Nursing Expert about … managing a nursing budget
By
Judi Kulus, MSN, MAT, RN, NHA, RAC-MT, DNS-CT
Mar 08, 2018
I’m hearing about facilities going bankrupt and closing. As a director of nursing, what can I do to help manage my department’s budget without degrading quality of care?
Ask the Nursing Expert about … documentation for new survey regulations
By
Judi Kulus, MSN, MAT, RN, NHA, RAC-MT, DNS-CT
Feb 08, 2018
For years I have referred to the State Operations Manual (SOM) Appendix P for guidance on the survey process. But the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced that Appendix P will be...
Ask the Nursing Expert about … the Facility-Wide Assessment
By
Judi Kulus, MSN, MAT, RN, NHA, RAC-MT, DNS-CT
Dec 06, 2017
My administrator has asked me to lead the effort to prepare our Facility-Wide Assessment (FWA). What does this mean for me, as the director of nursing?
Ask the Nursing Expert about … staff competencies
By
Judi Kulus, MSN, MAT, RN, NHA, RAC-MT, DNS-CT
Nov 06, 2017
Is it true that during new survey process, surveyors will ask staff nurses and nursing assistants about their competencies, with questions such as, “Do you receive periodic evaluations on your skills,...