Category: Uncategorized

CMS Posts Updated Draft MDS 3.0 Item Sets

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently posted an updated version of the draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets v1.20.1v3 and draft Item Matrix v1.20.1v3. These are located in the Downloads section on CMS’ Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual page. Of note, CMS removed Section R from these documents.
This version of the MDS item sets does not include items R0310. Living Situation, R0320. Food, R0330. Utilities. It also replaces item R0340. Transportation with item A1255. Transportation.
The final MDS item sets v1.20.1 will be posted in late summer, depending on the decisions finalized in rulemaking. The SNF PPS Proposed Rule is available here​.

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Gero Nurse Prep Sale Ends Soon!

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 May 15, 2025, with promo code GROWRNS (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 GROWRNS promo code when registering by May 15, 2025, to save $200 off the regular $790 Gero Nurse Prep registration fee.

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Gero Nurse Prep for Your RNs + $200 Savings = Better Nursing for Less!

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 May 15, 2025, with promo code GROWRNS (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 GROWRNS promo code when registering by May 15, 2025, to save $200 off the regular $790 Gero Nurse Prep registration fee.

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Reminder of Upcoming Annual HCP Influenza Vaccination Data Reporting Deadline

The deadline for nursing homes to report health care personnel (HCP) influenza vaccination coverage in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Health Safety Network (NHSN) is fast approaching.

This reporting is required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and the submission deadline is May 15, 2025. Failure to report complete data in NHSN by 11:59pm on May 15th for the SNF QRP will result in a 2% reduction in the nursing home’s annual Medicare reimbursement rates. 
The reporting period for the 2024-2025 influenza season is from October 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025. Facilities are only required to submit one report that covers the entire reporting period by May 15, 2025
Facilities are strongly advised not to wait until the deadline to report. Submitters are recommended to take a screen shot of submission verification in the event of a notice of noncompliance. Training materials are available on the NHSN website.
If your facility is having difficulty accessing the NHSN Healthcare Personnel Safety (HPS) Component to submit this data, email NHSN@cdc.gov with “HCP Flu Summary” in the subject line and specify that you are a LTC facility.
Questions on CMS SNF QRP requirements can be sent to SNFQualityQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.
AHCA has several resources available to assist with NHSN reporting, including the NHSN Tip Sheet and
Questions regarding the above resources may be sent to regulatory@ahca.org.

RNs + Gero Nurse Prep = Smarter Nurses and Better Outcomes

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 May 15, 2025, with promo code GROWRNS (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 GROWRNS promo code when registering by May 15, 2025, to save $200 off the regular $790 Gero Nurse Prep registration fee.

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Today is Certified Nurses Day and Gero Nurse Prep is Celebrating with a Spring Sale!

​Certified Nurses Day™ occurs every March 19 and is an annual day of recognition for and by health care leaders dedicated to nursing professionalism, excellence, recognition, and service. 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 May 15, 2025, with promo code GROWRNS (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 GROWRNS promo code when registering by May 15, 2025, to save $200 off the regular $790 Gero Nurse Prep registration fee.

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Boosting RN Geriatric Nursing Competency Makes a Difference

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living’s (AHCA/NCAL) Gero Nurse Prep course significantly increases registered nurses’ (RN) gerontological nursing competency test scores. Further, 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; and  
  • More stars – twice as likely to be a CMS 5-Star facility (44% versus 19%).
  
Specifically designed for RNs 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 also 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. AHCA/NCAL members can use the AHCAPAYLESS promo code when registering to save $100 off the regular $790 Gero Nurse Prep registration fee.

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.