Skilled Nursing
Articles
2026 Update to the Long-Stay Antipsychotic Quality Measure
One of the quality measures that contributes to your facility’s Five-Star Rating System score is the use of antipsychotic medications. Due to concerns about underreporting, CMS announced re-specifications to the long-stay antipsychotic quality measure, effective January 2026. This Compliance Cue provides an overview of the re-specifications, steps for maintaining compliance, and how your pharmacist can help.
2025 in Review: Skilled Nursing Facility Deficiencies
2025 saw some significant changes in the number of surveys completed and in the top deficiencies cited. Take a deep dive into what surveys revealed over the last year and how to access tools to help your facility stay in compliance.
Leveraging your Consultant Pharmacist for Savings: What Facilities Should Know
The costs associated with medications for older adults, especially those in post-acute and long-term care facilities, are significant — and rising each year due to inflation and increasing acuity. Central to your facility’s cost containment efforts is your consultant pharmacist. In this article, learn how this important member of your team can help identify savings opportunities while ensuring quality resident care.
CMS Revises Special Focus Facility Program to Include Prevalence of Falls
The Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program is a long-standing CMS initiative designed to improve compliance and quality of care among the lowest-performing nursing homes. On January 28, 2026, CMS announced significant revisions, shifting SFF Program selection criteria from staffing levels to fall prevalence.
Beyond the List: What You Need to Know about the Beers Criteria
The Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medicine Use in Older Adults marks its 35th anniversary this year. In our new e-guide, learn more about the Beers list, including: its origins and creator, how it helps guide senior care pharmacists, its integration into EHRs and workflows, and why using it is critical to keeping your facility or community in compliance.
Infection Prevention Guide: Challenges, Opportunities, and Best Practices
Infection prevention and control can be a serious challenge in long-term care settings. This comprehensive guide, updated for 2026, provides tips on preventing the spread of infections, advice on managing outbreaks, and a checklist to help you stay survey ready.
Taking the Lead on Deprescribing
Polypharmacy can be a significant concern, putting individuals at risk of adverse events, medication interactions, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations. Learn how DONs and other nurses can take the lead in deprescribing by training staff, working with pharmacists, and educating residents and families.
Spring Forward with Fall Prevention: Compliance and Documentation
The recently revised LTC Surveyor Guidance includes significant updates around falls, including new and revised definitions as well as clarifications and technical corrections throughout Appendix PP. Our new article reviews the changes.
Artificial Intelligence & Its Impact on Nursing Care
AI is everywhere, and that includes nursing care. Learn about the benefits and pitfalls of this new technology, when and where to use it, how to choose the right platform, and how AI can help nurses provide high quality care.
Cost-Conscious Care: Golden View Health Care
Learn how Golden View Health Care Center’s partnership with PharMerica has helped them navigate uncertainty, improve operational efficiency, and continue their mission of providing high-quality care to residents.
Preparedness Can Help Make Disasters Less Stressful
Natural disasters can happen at any time, sometimes without warning. Learn how your pharmacy can help you ensure essential medications are available if disaster strikes.
Powerful Partnerships: Sarah Day
Providing high-quality care to more than 700 residents in 10 facilities requires great attention to detail, something Sarah Day and her team pride themselves on. Learn how Sarah’s commitment to quality helps keep residents safe, engaged, comfortable, and living with joy and purpose.
5 Tips to be OK with GG Documentation
Recent changes, updates, and revisions to regulations that affect skilled nursing facilities all have one thing in common — they all have an impact on documentation. Use these tips to help ensure your documentation paints an accurate, complete, and up-to-date picture of the care your team is providing.
4 Steps to Successful Opioid Stewardship
Older adults are at high risk for opioid use disorder. They may also experience more severe side effects, such as falls, depression, and anxiety, and even an increased risk of developing dementia. This infographic provides 4 steps you can take to get started with effective opioid stewardship.
5 Facts About Unnecessary Antibiotics
As antibiotic use increases, so does antibiotic resistance, which can put the health of your residents at risk. Learn five facts that can help you and your team improve antibiotic use while preventing unnecessary or inappropriate prescribing of these medications.
3 Steps to Medication Optimization
90% of long-term care residents take more than 5 medications. These complex regimens can lead to polypharmacy, adverse events, and hospitalizations. Learn 3 steps to implementing a sustainable approach to medication optimization that can mitigate these issues while also improving health outcomes.
6 Tips for CGM Success
Continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs, are not only a more comfortable option for residents, but also a time saver for staff. Learn more about how this technology can enhance care, training staff to use it, and introducing it to residents and families.
Nonpharmacologic Management of Behavioral Issues
Staff turnover, misconceptions about psychotropics, and confusing regulations can make focusing on nonpharmacologic approaches a challenge. Learn 6 key steps to create a culture that prioritizes nonpharmacologic strategies to manage behavioral issues.
Embedding QAPI in the Culture to Combat Staffing Challenges
When embedded into your organization’s culture, your QAPI — Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement — program does more than satisfy CMS requirements — it can help prevent burnout, improve morale, and drive loyalty.
Is Psychotropic Use Justified?
Psychotropic stewardship is key to protecting resident health and well-being, as well as avoiding citations and fines. Learn 5 questions to ask to ensure appropriate psychotropic use, plus how an effective stewardship program can help you find the answers.
Infection Prevention: Continuing the Journey on a Rocky Road
Even with the innovations implemented during the pandemic, infection control continues to be a challenge for long-term care facilities. Learn the steps facilities can take to maximize infection prevention and control to minimize outbreaks.
3 Steps to Increased Staff Satisfaction
Workers in health care are especially prone to burnout. To reduce stress and increase satisfaction, evaluating and enhancing workplace culture is essential. Learn how a focus on values, communication, and mindfulness can be the keys to banishing burnout.
6 Ways to Enhance Seniors’ Mental Health
Over the last few years, mental health diagnoses for people over 65 have skyrocketed. Learn 6 ways your community can help residents stay engaged and connected to reduce the impacts of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
7 Ways to Address Frailty
Recognizing and addressing frailty helps residents live longer and leads to better outcomes. Learn how 7 elements of successful frailty management can help you and your staff improve residents’ quality of life.
5 Steps to Infection Prevention & Control Plan (IPCP) Compliance
Providing a safe and sanitary environment through an infection prevention and control plan is a key requirement for skilled nursing facilities. Learn 5 steps to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases, protect the health of residents and staff, and keep your facility in compliance.
Top Ways to Mitigate Fall Risks
One out of four older adults in the U.S. fall each year. But falls are often preventable and aren’t an inevitable part of aging. Learn 5 ways to help prevent falls and protect the safety of your residents.
Q&A: Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurologic movement disorder that affects about a million Americans, including more than 5% of LTC residents. In recognition of Parkinson’s Awareness Month, our new Q&A with NADONA highlights the causes, symptoms, and treatments.
6 Tips to Address Incontinence and Reduce Falls
Some form of urinary incontinence affects nearly half of all adults over age 65 and is a key contributor to fall risk. Learn how understanding the signs and causes of urinary incontinence, communicating openly with residents, and having protocols to help guide staff can help keep residents safe.
SGLT2s and GLP-1s and Their Role in Managing Heart Health
Some non-insulin medications are contraindicated in patients with certain cardiac conditions — a fact that can make caring for diabetic residents a challenge. Fortunately, two drug classes have shown to be effective alternatives for those with both diabetes and heart disease. Learn more about these treatment options.