CMS: End to pandemic waivers helps nursing homes ‘redirect efforts’ to meet residents’ needs
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 08, 2022
A sweeping phase-out of early COVID-19 pandemic allowances, such as the nurse aide certification waiver, addresses concerns about SNF residents’ physical, mental and psychosocial well-being, the agency...
AHCA/NCAL: When inspected during pandemic, most nursing homes deficiency-free
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 28, 2022
Despite navigating unprecedented hardship and loss during the pandemic, there is evidence that care in nursing homes held steady in a number of quantifiable areas, according to the organization’s...
Program reduces missed workdays for COVID-exposed healthcare staff
Mar 24, 2022
Overall, 92% of workers successfully returned to work about 2 days early relative to a standard 10-day quarantine. This saved hundreds of work days over a six-month period, researchers reported.
Repeat booster jabs for residents? COVID-19 immunity in nursing homes wanes quickly, large study shows
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 21, 2022
Results from hundreds of facilities demonstrate not only the value of booster vaccinations, but that there may be an ongoing need for additional shots in the long-term care population.
Geriatrician survey: Swift telehealth adoption was ‘instrumental’ to pandemic patient care
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 18, 2022
Responses by Genesis HealthCare physicians offer insight into the dramatic shift in care delivery that took place as COVID-19 raged in 2020.
Advocacy group urges more flexible in-home dialysis rules
By
Diane Eastabrook
Mar 17, 2022
Innovative Kidney Care says the severe nursing shortage is making it difficult for patients to move from facility-based dialysis to home dialysis.
Pfizer, BioNTech to pursue 2nd booster shot authorization for older adults
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 16, 2022
A second booster — or fourth dose — will be necessary to improve the vaccine’s waning protection in the face of omicron, Pfizer’s CEO has stated. Whether the FDA will find the evidence compelling...
Six years after mandate, most of state’s nursing home residents had POLST forms
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Mar 14, 2022
By 2016, 81% of California’s long-stay residents and 68% of short-stay residents had physician orders for life-sustaining treatment recorded in the MDS.
Clinical briefs for Monday, March 14
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 14, 2022
Medical directors can tackle staffing ‘churn’ with these strategies, experts say … Most patients screened for depression don’t receive timely follow-up, VA study finds … Three doses of mRNA vaccine...
CNAs cite staffing shortage as biggest on-the-job challenge: survey
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Mar 07, 2022
“This survey reveals not only that CNAs are burned out and frustrated, but also that the CNA staffing shortage itself is posing the greatest challenge to their work right now,” NAHCA CEO Lori Porter...