Did you know there were fifteen recent memos of importance to nursing in the recent past? Did you know there have been many changes nursing chapter in the past two years including 2016 changes and proposed changes in 2017? The proposed changes are in the Hospital Improvement Act. It will discuss plans of care, staffing, policy changes, when a RN is required in an outpatient department, documentation, supervision, nursing leadership, verbal orders, antibiotic stewardship program and more.
Did you know that CMS has issued deficiency reports which includes which are the most problematic standards for hospitals? This is a must attend program for any clinical nurse or nurse leader or person interested in ensuring compliance with the CMS hospital conditions of participation in nursing.
Recently, there has been increased scrutiny and surveillance to make sure that all hospitals are in compliance with the hospital CoPs. Don’t be caught off guard and put your hospital’s reimbursement at risk.
CMS made significant changes to IV medication administration, blood transfusion, safe injection practices, compounding, beyond use date (BUD) and implemented safe opioid standards. Hospitals are still struggling with how to comply with these complicated standards.
There are many changes in the past to this section include timing of medications, standing orders, soft wrist restraints and restraint reporting, plan of care, verbal orders, blood transfusions, IV medication, compounding, BUD, safe injection practices, self administration of medications and drug orders. There were many changes to the final interpretive guidelines that went into effect the past two years. CMS has issued the final worksheets on QAPI, discharge planning and infection control which should be on the radar screen of all department managers.
Every hospital that accepts Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement must follow the CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) Conditions of Participation (CoPs) and it must be followed for all patients. This program will cover the nursing services section in the hospital CoP manual. Facilities accredited by the Joint Commission, Health Care Facility Accreditation Program, CIHQ, and DNV Healthcare must also follow these regulations.
This program will also reference other important sections that all nurses should be aware that are found outside the nursing services section such as medication standards, verbal orders, history and physicals, visitation, restraint and seclusion and grievances, discharge planning standards and privacy and confidentiality. CMS issued the privacy and confidentiality memo, safe injection practices memo, humidity memo, and insulin pen memo.
This section contains many problematic standards for hospitals including the nursing care plan standards and that an order is required for all medication especially if standing order or protocol used. Staffing, medications, three time frame for administering medications and educational requirements will be discussed along with changes standing orders and protocols. CMS starting issuing deficiency reports and this will be covered so hospitals are aware of which are the problematic tag numbers.