CMS Offers Help With New Staffing Data Requirement

When families come together to make the important and often difficult decision of moving a loved one to a nursing home, they want the peace of mind that their family member is getting the best care they need to stay healthy. That includes knowing that the facility has sufficient highly trained staff to devote to all residents.

We at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also believe that staffing is a vital component of a nursing home’s ability to provide quality care. That’s why nursing home staffing information is listed on the Nursing Home Compare website, where families making these important decisions can research the quality of facilities in their communities.

Source- http://www.providermagazine.com/columns/Pages/2016/CMS-Offers-Help-With-New-Staffing-Data-Requirement.aspx

Wound care: What’s new on an old problem?

Certified wound care professional discusses new definitions for pressure injuries that haven’t been used before.

In April, the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) issued guidance on the terminology and rating of pressure injuries. As a recently-certified Wound Care professional, I found the new terminology arrived just in time.

Does your patient have a pressure sore? A pressure ulcer? A decubitus? No. Your patient has a “pressure injury.”

Source – http://www.mcknights.com/guest-columns/wound-care-whats-new-on-an-old-problem/article/502291/

Dangerous Urinary Tract Infections Common in Nursing Homes

Study found 1 in 20 residents developed a UTI in average month, but many facilities lack preventive measures

FRIDAY, June 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in nursing home residents can often have serious effects, including delirium, debilitating falls and even fatal blood infections.

Now, new research finds the infections are common in nursing homes, often due to a lack of proper prevention.

Source- https://consumer.healthday.com/caregiving-information-6/nursing-homes-and-elder-care-health-news-501/dangerous-urinary-tract-infections-common-in-nursing-home-care-711612.html  

 

New Pressure Ulcer terminology

An interesting take on the implications of the switch to calling pressure ulcers “pressure injuries.” The author provides some usual information to help sort this out in terms of documentation.

Source- http://www.mcknights.com/the-real-nurse-jackie/whats-in-a-name-adding-insult-to-ulcer/article/497030/?DCMP=EMC-MCK_Daily

CMS Releases New Resource Guide for Quality Improvement Tools

CMS has posted a new Resource Guide for Quality Improvement Tools related to new April 2016 Nursing Home Compare Quality Measures. This guide includes a description and link to multiple tools and resources that are available to centers, including some resources from AHCA. The tools in this guide are sorted into the following five categories:

  • Resources for Systems Approaches to Quality Improvement
  • Resources for Antianxiety or Hypnotic Medication Measure
  • Resources for Mobility Measure (Short Stay or and Long Stay)
  • Resources for Emergency Department Visits and Rehospitalization Measures
  • Resources for Community Discharge Measure

Source – http://www.longtermcareleader.com/2016/04/cms-releases-new-resource-guide-for.html 

NPUAP Announces Revisions to Pressure Ulcer Staging System

According to Long Term Care Leader

“This week, the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) announced changes to the Pressure Ulcer Staging System including the following:

· Change in terminology from pressure ulcer to pressure injury. The change in terminology more accurately describes pressure injuries to both intact and ulcerated skin.

· The use of Arabic numbers in the names of the stages instead of Roman numerals.

· The term “suspected” has been removed from the Deep Tissue Injury diagnostic label.

· Pressure injury definitions for Medical Device Related Pressure Injury and Mucosal Membrane Pressure Injury.”

Source- http://www.longtermcareleader.com/2016/04/npuap-announces-revisions-to-pressure.html