October 2, 2024

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The Latest News

Board of Nursing Imposter

KHCA/KCAL received information today that a member nurse received a call from someone impersonating the Kansas Board of Nursing. The caller ID indicated the Kansas Board of Nursing, they knew her full name and RN license number and proceeded to inform her that she was being investigated by the FBI. Thankfully this nurse recognized this as a scam and hung up.

KHCA/KCAL has reached out to the Board of Nursing to confirm if others have received similar calls and what next steps may be for nurses to protect themselves from this and/or future scams.

Update on Convention Question on Past Non-Compliance - A Linda Farrar Session

In response to our question brought up at the KHCA Annual Convention during the session on Achieving Past Non-Compliance, Dawne Altis responded to my question with the following information about required staff training to achieve past non-compliance. Here is her response:

“I believe the facility that you were discussing regarding the PNC had only trained nursing staff regarding elopements/alarms and were doing an all staff in-service after the IJ had been called. That would not meet the PNC criteria.

I did find my email from Dottie at CMS and it stated the following: ‘The training needs to be done for all staff, not just before the next shift with a given date of completion before the IJ is removed. There may be a few staff on leave who can be educated before their shift. The before shift for the bulk of the staff turns into it frequently doesn’t get done, doesn’t have all the information, and is not tracked.’

I am reaching out to Vonda for a discussion on PNC.

FYI Vonda is a CMS Survey and Compliance out of the CMS Region VII office in Kansas City, Missouri.

I appreciate Dawne looking into the question. During our conversation, she and her staff seemed to understand the reality of that timely education situation.

She also indicated that she and her leadership team have a plan for dealing with specifically “difficult” surveyor behaviors through training and interviews. It is important to be honest when you are making comments on the Comment Sheet post survey.

Thanks for attending the convention and specifically for caring with love and care for your precious elders! I love you all.

Medicare Advantage practices under expanded CMS quality reporting could hurt reputation, pay: experts

Medicare Advantage plans’ varied interpretations of skilled nursing rules that apply to all beneficiaries in traditional Medicare could complicate federal regulators’ efforts to collect more quality data — and threaten providers’ Medicare Part A payments — clinical and reimbursement experts said Tuesday. READ MORE

Also reported by: Skilled Nursing News

Enhance Your Mental Health Care Skills

Unlock vital mental health skills and join October training events to gain essential knowledge in suicide prevention, mental health first aid and trauma-informed care. Each evidence-based session is led by expert speakers and offers ACCME & NAB credits.

Seize the opportunity to expand your expertise and contribute to mental health care in your facility. READ MORE

Missed your chance at convention to purchase valuable resources?

Visit the KHCA/KCAL online store to order required facility posters, documentation guideline books, care plan books and much more!

Visit our Online Store

CMS Reminds Providers of Residents’ Rights Related to Voting

On September 26, 2024, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released QSO-24-21-NH, Compliance with Residents’ Rights Requirement related to Nursing Home Residents’ Right to Vote. The purpose of the memo is to affirm the regulatory expectation that nursing home residents can exercise their right to vote without interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal from the facility.

CMS emphasized current regulations under Residents’ Rights related to exercising the right to vote as a citizen of the United States, including the use of mail for mail-in or absentee ballots, as outlined below:

§483.10(b) Exercise of Rights: The resident has the right to exercise his or her rights as a resident of the facility and as a citizen or resident of the United States.
§483.10(b)(1): The facility must ensure that the resident can exercise his or her rights without interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal from the facility.
§483.10(b)(2): The resident has the right to be supported by the facility in the exercise of his or her rights as required under this subpart.

In addition, CMS highlighted regulations regarding residents’ inability to cast in-person ballots and the use of mail-in ballots. CMS regulations specific to the use of mail, which also apply to voting, include:

§483.10(g)(7): The facility must protect and facilitate the resident's right to communicate with individuals and entities within and outside of the facility, including reasonable access to:
(i) A telephone, including TTY and TDD services;
(ii) The internet, to the extent available to the facility; and
(iii) Stationery, postage, writing implements, and the ability to send mail.
§483.10(h)(2): The facility must respect the resident’s right to personal privacy, including the right to privacy in his or her oral (i.e., spoken), written, and electronic communications, including the right to send and promptly receive unopened mail and other letters, packages, and materials delivered to the facility for the resident, including those delivered through means other than a postal service.
“Promptly” means delivery of mail or other materials to the resident within 24 hours of delivery by the postal service (including a post office box) and delivery of outgoing mail to the postal service within 24 hours, except when there is no regularly scheduled postal delivery and pick-up service.

Please contact regulatory@ahca.org with any questions.

Education Spotlight

Virtual Adult Care Home Operators Course

11/6 - 11/19/2024

This hybrid course is designed to provide you with everything necessary to prep you to become a Registered Adult Care Home Operator in the State of Kansas. The class is based on the principles of assisted living as outlined in the KDADS regulation manual and is taught by a variety of presenters that are currently working in the field. The course will be facilitated by Joan Hudson, KCAL Clinical Consultant and Polly Berkley, VP of Operations and Education for KHCA/KCAL. This course provides knowledge and insight on the rules, regulations and responsibilities governing the operation of a state licensed only adult care home.