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Are Your New Admissions Vaccinated?

Vaccination against influenza (flu), COVID-19, and RSV reduces the likelihood of serious illness, hospitalization, or even death in long term care residents. LTC providers play an important role in protecting their residents by promoting vaccination against these viruses. And while influenza and COVID-19 vaccine are ideally administered in the fall, there is no wrong time to get vaccinated against these viruses. 

 

This blog post serves as a reminder of the importance of promoting vaccination against respiratory viruses for newly admitted residents, offering actionable insights to strengthen your approach to infection prevention efforts. 
 
Why is Vaccination Crucial for New Admissions? 
Residents of nursing homes are at an increased risk of severe illness from respiratory infections due to factors such as age and underlying health conditions. Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, particularly when new residents may not yet have immunity to certain viruses circulating in the community or within the facility itself. 
 
By prioritizing vaccination for new admissions, you not only protect the health of individual residents but also contribute to the overall safety and well-being of your facility.  
 
Best Practices for Promoting Vaccination in New Admissions:
 
  1. Incorporate Vaccination into Admission Protocols 
    When new residents are admitted, ensure that vaccination is part of the standard intake procedure. This means reviewing their vaccination history, checking for any necessary vaccines, and administering them as soon as possible. 
  1. Educate Residents and Families 
    Many families may not fully understand the importance of vaccinations, especially when it comes to respiratory viruses. Provide clear and concise information about the benefits of vaccination and how it protects not only the individual but the entire community within your nursing home. Check out the AHCA/NCAL #GetVaccinated website for resources to support these conversations. 
  1. Ensure Accessibility
    Make the vaccination process as easy as possible. This could involve offering vaccines on-site or coordinating with local health providers for timely administration. 
  1. Document and Follow-Up 
    Keep accurate records of vaccinations administered and follow up with residents who may have missed their vaccines at the time of admission. Regularly review resident records to ensure they stay up-to-date on necessary immunizations. 
  1. Promote a Culture of Prevention 
    Foster an environment where vaccination and disease prevention are seen as routine, essential parts of resident care. This will not only increase vaccination rates but also contribute to a culture of health and well-being within your facility. 
Conclusion: A Commitment to Safety 
Promoting vaccination for new admissions is one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses in your nursing home. This not only protects their health but also safeguards the larger community of residents and staff. By making vaccination a top priority during the admission process, you’re taking a crucial step in the fight against respiratory illnesses and ensuring your facility remains a safe haven for all who call it home. 
 
Visit the #GetVaccinated website ​for the latest resources and news on vaccines.  

Polypharmacy Is a Problem in Senior Care

Polypharmacy, the concurrent use of multiple medications by a patient, is a growing concern in senior care. As the elderly population continues to grow, so too does the prevalence of chronic conditions that require pharmaceutical intervention. However, while medications can be life-saving, the indiscriminate use of multiple drugs often leads to adverse effects, drug interactions, and diminished quality of life for seniors.

Addressing polypharmacy is not just a medical issue; it’s a critical aspect of providing holistic, patient-centered care that respects the complexities of aging.

Read the full article at https://www.providermagazine.com/Articles/Pages/Polypharmacy-Is-a-Problem-in-Senior-Care.aspx

CMS Posts Updated Five-Star Quality Rating Program Technical User’s Guide

​The updated Nursing Home Care Compare Technical Users’ Guide has been posted on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) Five Star Quality Rating System Page.  

Effective with the January 2025 refresh (expected on January 29th), CMS will unfreeze four quality measures (QMs) that were frozen beginning with the April 2024 refresh. These measures were updated to accommodate recent changes to the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Please refer to the CMS Memorandum QSO-25-01-NH for more information about these updates. 

Prevention of Respiratory Virus Transmission This Holiday Season

With the holiday season upon us, long term care (LTC) facilities and communities across the country will experience increased resident and family visitation, social engagement, and resident activities. This is an important time for residents to connect with their families and loved ones. However, it is also a challenging time for LTC providers as they strive to keep residents safe from respiratory viruses commonly spread during the winter months.

Here are a few simple steps LTC providers can take to prepare for increased holiday visitation:

1.) ​Communicate Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Practices to Visitors
LTC providers should communicate active infection prevention and control practices to visitors. For example, if the transmission​​ of COVID-19 is high in the community or if the facility/community​ is experiencing an outbreak, they may implement source control masking. Policies like these should be communicated through posters, newsletters, and other forms of communication. Whenever possible, explain the rationale behind these policies to visitors to improve adherence.

2.) Ensure Adequate Resources
LTC providers should ensure access to supplies needed to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses and respond effectively to an outbreak. This includes:

  • Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS) and source control masks (for use by residents, staff, and visitors)
  • Access to rapid COVID-19 and influenza testing
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gowns and gloves, in case of an outbreak

3.) Monitor and Mask
LTC providers should use the CDC respiratory virus tracking website to monitor respiratory virus transmission in their local area. When transmission levels are high, LTC providers may consider implementing mask guidance for staff, residents, and guests. Note that respiratory viruses are often most contagious just before symptoms appear, underscoring the importance of masking when local transmission rates are elevated.​

The CDC’s Project Firstline has developed two poster options (option 1 and option 2) that facilities can use to promote mask usage within the facility.

4.) Follow CDC Guidance to Monitor and Prevent Spread
LTC providers should actively watch for new cases to identify additional ill residents or health care personnel (HCP) through symptom screening and evaluating potential exposures. For SARS-CoV-2 infections, testing exposed individuals is recommended, even if they are asymptomatic.

If a respiratory infection is identified in a resident or HCP, facilities should refer to CDC guidance for specific infection control practices based on the respiratory virus:

5.) Remind residents and staff that vaccination is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk from respiratory viruses. Ensure that new admissions since your last vaccine clinic are offered vaccinations. All four vaccines—pneumonia, influenza, RSV, and COVID-19—are highly beneficial for residents.

For more information on infection prevention and control practices, visit AHCA/NCAL’s ​GetVaccinated.us​ and HHS’s Risk Less. Do More. campaign pages.​

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OIG Releases Nursing Facility Compliance Program Guidance

The U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published its General Compliance Program Guidelines document (GCPG) in November of 2023, with updates to industry specific guidelines to follow in 2024. This week, the OIG published the updated Nursing Facility Industry Segment Specific Compliance Guidelines (Nursing Facility ICPG). This is the first update to the Nursing Facility ICPG since 2008. 

  
With this update, the OIG has sought to modernize its approach to the compliance program guidelines by using a more user-friendly and accessible format, providing general program guidelines alongside industry specific guidelines, and making the guidance available on its website with interactive links to resources.  
 
The purpose of the compliance guidelines is to help nursing facilities identify their own risks and implement an effective compliance and quality program to reduce those risks. The guidelines are voluntary and non-binding, meaning they do not represent a regulatory requirement. The OIG also notes that the guidelines are not one-size fits all and must be tailored to the unique nature of each facility.   
 
The OIG develops compliance program guidance as “voluntary, nonbinding guidance documents to support health care industry stakeholders in their efforts to self-monitor compliance with applicable laws and program requirements.” These include CPGs directed at 11 different sectors of the health care industry, one of which is nursing facilities. 
 
In the Nursing Facility ICPG, OIG has paid special attention to four risk areas. Within each risk area, the OIG explains the relevance of the topic, cites the requirements of participation (RoP) or other applicable laws that relate to that topic area, and provides recommendations for mitigating those risks. The four risk areas are as follows: 
  • Quality of Care and Quality of Life 
  • Medicare and Medicaid Billing Requirements 
  • Federal Anti-Kickback Statute 
  • Other Risk Areas 
AHCA recommends members review the Nursing Facility ICPG with special attention on risk areas that are relevant to their operations. AHCA is also working on additional educational training to support members’ understanding and application of these guidelines.

New #GetVaccinated Promotional Graphics and Posters Now Available

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) has released new promotional materials to support its #GetVaccinated campaign for the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season. 

These resources, including downloadable posters and graphics, are designed to encourage residents, staff, and caregivers to stay up to date with their immunizations for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. Posters can be displayed throughout your facility or printed as flyers to share with residents and families. The graphics, located under the Communication and Promotion section of GetVaccinated.us, are also perfect for newsletters, websites, or social media. 
 
The #GetVaccinated campaign, supported by Moderna, equips long term care providers with tools to protect their communities year-round. AHCA/NCAL also collaborates with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Risk Less. Do More. campaign to promote the latest vaccine recommendations. 
 
The campaign also features the public service announcement (PSA) video, “Stronger Together,” which highlights how vaccination helps us safely enjoy life’s special moments. Available in 30-second and 15-second formats, the PSA can be used on closed-circuit television or shared on social media. 
 
Visit GetVaccinated.us to explore these resources and enhance your vaccination efforts today. 

Sale Ends November 15!

The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living’s Gero Nurse Prep course significantly increases RNs’ gerontological nursing competency test scores. Registrants can save $200 on Gero Nurse Prep through November 15, 2024 with promo code GEROBC24 (all caps).  
 
Research conducted by AHCA/NCAL in 2023 found compelling reasons to consider the Gero Nurse Prep course and ANCC Board certification for RNs. Nursing facilities with at least one ANCC Board certified RN experienced:     
 
  • Lower rehospitalization rates for short stay and long stay residents 
  • Fewer deficiencies on average  
  • Fewer Immediate Jeopardy (IJ) citations  
  • More stars — twice as likely to be a CMS 5-Star facility (44% versus 19%) 
  
Specifically designed for registered nurses working in long term care, this curriculum provides comprehensive online training that leads to board certification in gerontological nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for RNs.   
 
Gero Nurse Prep makes a big difference even for those RNs who are not interested in pursuing ANCC Board certification. Nurses who complete Gero Nurse Prep show an average 24 percent increase between their pre- and post-course test scores. Quite simply, Gero Nurse Prep delivers smarter RNs who are better prepared to deliver competent geriatric nursing care in skilled nursing and assisted living settings. Both two-year RNs and BSNs can take the Gero Nurse Prep course and sit for the ANCC exam. 
 
RNs have one year to complete Gero Nurse Prep and earn 30 quality nursing contact hours – enough to meet the criteria for taking the ANCC certification exam. Gero Nurse Prep grads who choose to sit for the ANCC gerontological nursing certification exam ($395 separate fee paid to ANCC) have a pass rate of 94% on their first try. RNs who pass the ANCC exam can then use the GERO-BC™ credential after their RN credential.  
 
Watch this video or visit the website at geronurseprep.com to learn more. And don’t forget to use the GEROBC24 promo code when registering by November 15 to save $200 off the regular $790 Gero Nurse Prep registration fee.