AL ESF SNF | Join WHCA’s Elena Madrid and Vicki McNealley, along with medication systems guru Kelli Carr from Consonus Pharmacy, in June for the Assisted Living Care Academy. This virtual seminar, conveniently scheduled over four nonconsecutive days, offers insight into the overall operations of the wellness center.
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AL ESF SNF | Three new "Dear Provider" letters from DSHS/ALTSA are available online, regarding Emergency Preparedness for Extreme Heat, Wildfire Smoke, and Rapid Response Teams in LTC settings.
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AL ESF SNF | Please note that due to Convention and Memorial Day, WHCA staff availability will be extremely limited from May 20-27. There will be delays in responses to emails, phone calls, and messages during this time, and there will be no WHCA newsletters next week.
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AL ESF SNF | The final rule related to
Adult Protective Services Functions and Grants Programs was published on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. It is effective June 7, 2024, and creates the first mandatory federal standards to govern Adult Protective Services policies, procedures, and practices. Each state must comply with this final rule by May 8, 2028, to receive Federal Funding.
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AL ESF SNF | RCS is very excited to announce that they have hired a new Deputy Director, Miriam Mina. Miriam will be starting with RCS on June 7th and RCS looks forward to introducing her properly as soon as she gets settled.
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AL ESF SNF | Now is the time to apply for recognition with the new
LTC Respiratory Immunization Award. The award is open to LTC providers from all levels of care. You can enroll and report any time through June 3, 2024. The data reporting period is from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024.
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AL ESF SNF | BCCU has updated their website!
Their new site is built for easy access to important information and updates.
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AL ESF SNF | This week we heard from a provider who had questions about Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunity Act.
Here is the Department of Labor and Industries Administrative Policy that provides guidance on compliance. Read More
AL ESF SNF | Please join WABON for a 30-minute information session starting this spring 2024 through summer 2024. The information sessions will go through updates, step-by-step how to apply, common errors, and Q&A at the end.
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AL ESF SNF | DSHS' Dementia Action Collaborative is hosting a webinar you won't want to miss. Discover Washington State's comprehensive plan for addressing dementia and learn how YOU can make a difference.
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AL ESF | The Washington plastic law, passed in 2021, will reduce the use of single-use plastics. The law has been implemented in phases. On June 1, the plastics ban is extended to expanded polystyrene products.
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AL ESF SNF | On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission’s Final Non-Compete Rule and U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Overtime Rule were released. AHCA/NCAL commented on the proposed rules during the open comment periods and has developed a summary of the final rules.
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AL SNF | The Background Check Central Unit has released their newest "BCCU Buzz."
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AL SNF | The Department of Health has an opening for a public member on the Board of Nursing Home Administrators. This is an unpaid volunteer position. Applications are due by
June 1, 2024.
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AL ESF SNF | Working in healthcare is rewarding, but also stressful. Resources can be difficult to locate when needed. So, WABON has put together a helpful list.
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AL ESF SNF | WABON is excited to celebrate Washington nurses and the joys of practice during Nurses Week 2024. They will highlight both on their upcoming social media launch and through other communication avenues.
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AL ESF SNF | The Safe Medication Return system at the Department of Health launched an awareness survey of health care providers (including veterinarians and pharmacists) and law enforcement staff. Your input will help the department assess awareness, attitudes, and use of Safe Medication Return services and benefits.
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AL ESF SNF | Candidates for the WHCA Board of Directors for the 2024-2026 period have been selected. Ballots will be sent via email on May 1, 2024, to all voting members.
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AL ESF | Biden administration as rules impacting Medicaid-funded skilled nursing, assisted living and enhanced services facilities were finalized and released by CMS this week.
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AL ESF SNF | The WCN Clinical Placement Initiative is underway! See the attached flyer for the full schedule
here. Read More
AL ESF | WHCA, DSHS, and LeadingAge would like to invite you to participate in Aging and Long-Term Care Support Administration, Division of Residential Care Services Spring 2024 NH, ALF, and ESF Forum next month.
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AL ESF SNF | There's only 2 weeks left until the launch of
HELMS Lite on
Wednesday, April 24th! To ensure everyone is prepared, the DOH is sharing information about what
is not and what
is changing with the launch of
HELMS Lite
and how you can learn more.
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AL ESF SNF | On Friday, April 5, 2024, DOH rolled out new security features for external Box.com users that requires acceptance of new Terms of Service.
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AL ESF SNF | It is critical that policymakers understand the dilemmas of a system that does not support workers. The Health Workforce Sentinel Network is open and collecting workforce data through April 17, 2024. We urge you to take 15 minutes to complete the latest survey.
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AL | One of WHCA's member facilities, Heritage House Morton, finished their survey last week and was found deficiency-free. Congratulations to Heritage House Morton, their administrator, Tammi Elswick, and their LPN/Resident Care Coordinator, Terrie Lowery.
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AL ESF SNF | If you are a WHCA member in good standing and have an interest in this important leadership role, the WHCA Call for Nominations is open.
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AL SNF | Nominations for the 2024 AHCA/NCAL Awards Program are now open! AHCA/NCAL members are strongly encouraged to nominate those inspiring leaders and unsung colleagues who go above and beyond to provide exceptional service in the long term care profession.
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AL ESF SNF | While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not currently have a specific infection prevention standard tailored for long term care facilities, it regulates employee exposure to infectious disease through the
OSHA General Duty Clause and other existing standards.
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AL SNF | The 2024-2025 election cycle has officially opened for AHCA members in good standing interested in running for the AHCA Board of Governors. Applicants must complete and electronically submit by close of business on April 19, 2024.
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AL ESF SNF | Take this quick survey to help us make advocacy work better for you.
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AL ESF SNF | The DOH is launching a new quarterly long-term care call. Join April 1 to review the updated CDC respiratory virus guidance with the DOH and additional subject matter experts.
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AL ESF SNF | NHSN is hosting a webinar on Tuesday, April 2 providing an overview of important updates to the definition of long-term care reporting for COVID-19 vaccines.
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AL ESF SNF | DSHS has released several new "Dear Provider/Administrator" letters.
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AL ESF SNF | If you are a WHCA member in good standing and have an interest in joining the Board of Directors, watch for the Call for Nominations to open on April 3, 2024.
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AL SNF | This article will cover some of the practical and regulatory issues with workplace violence in LTC settings, exploring its history, expectations, and anticipated action for prevention and intervention.
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AL ESF SNF | Share your health workforce needs with those who can help solve them! The WA Sentinel Network invites you to participate by sharing insights on several topics.
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AL ESF | The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) strives to offer the most up to date training for long-term care workers.
Effective July 1st, 2024, they are sunsetting the above outdated continuing education training material.
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AL | The 2024-2025 election cycle has officially opened for NCAL members in good standing interested in running for the NCAL Board of Directors. Applicants must complete and electronically submit by close of business on April 19, 2024.
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AL ESF SNF | While the Department of Health is no longer able to offer free medical evaluations through 3M, they do have a variety of classes to support long-term care facilities with their respiratory protection program.
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AL ESF SNF | The Washington State Department of Health and other infection prevention partners are implementing a quarterly call for long-term care settings.
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AL ESF | On 03/01/2024, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released changes regarding the Respiratory Virus Guidance. A decision whether the DOH will adopt these changes for our home and community-based settings is yet to be announced.
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AL ESF SNF | WABON continues to hear from nurses that they are unaware of the ability or logistics to obtain a multistate license in Washington State. Attached is a
flyer to help support a better understanding of this licensure option.
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AL ESF | On February 29, 2024, Prometric, the Department of Health (department) exam vendor for the home care aide profession, launched their new online Client Voucher Portal allowing HCA employers, training programs, and third-party payers to purchase vouchers for their employees or students to use to pay for their exams.
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AL ESF SNF | The Washington State Board of Nursing Home Administrators is currently seeking board members. Applications are due by April 5, 2024.
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AL ESF | If you are a provider serving clients approved for behavioral health personal care (BHPC) services, you should have received notification from the Washington State Health Care Authority about changes in the way this contract is being managed.
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AL | NCAL needs your continued help in identifying residents and families who are willing to share their positive, life-affirming stories about assisted living.
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AL ESF SNF | Electronic cigarettes are being used more frequently by residents in skilled nursing facilities. Here are some reminders on regulations and safety concerns related to e-cigarettes in facilities.
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AL ESF SNF | Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor published a final rule, entitled
Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which goes into effect on March 11, 2024.
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AL ESF SNF | DSHS/ALTSA has published new information on two important topics pertaining to long-term care.
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There are several different pathways to becoming a qualified assisted living administrator in Washington state. The regulations, though offered in a step-wise fashion based on...
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AL ESF SNF | A new provider/administrator letter is now available online regarding the above topic.
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AL SNF | Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, has made the decision to retire at the end of this year. Read his official statement now.
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AL ESF SNF | While the Department of Health is no longer able to offer free medical evaluations through 3M, they do continue to have a variety of classes to support long term care facilities with all aspects of their respiratory protection program.
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AL SNF | This week is your last chance to apply for the AHCA/NCAL Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP). If you are a mid- to senior-level or C-suite professional with a vision for leadership and a drive to make a significant impact, DELP is for you.
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Washington State Labor and Industries’ Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has instituted a Local Emphasis Program (LEP) for enforcement that targets industrial hygiene...
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Washington State Labor and Industries’ Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has instituted a Local Emphasis Program (LEP) for enforcement that targets industrial hygiene...
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AL ESF SNF | WABON is seeking new members! If you are interested in protecting the public’s health and safety by regulating the competency and quality of licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners and nursing technicians, you are encouraged to apply.
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AL SNF | AHCA/NCAL is asking providers (SNF, AL, ID/DD) to complete a 10-minute survey to gauge your operations and how we can prioritize key issues. Please complete the survey by end of day on Friday, February 16.
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AL ESF | The following information is for those who are currently pending their initial application for a home care aide certification with the Department of Health. If you are currently certified, left the profession, or otherwise – you will not be required to retake the certification exam, this is only informational.
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AL ESF SNF | The state LTC Ombuds, Paticia Hunter has released an updated contact list and regional roster of Ombuds persons.
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AL ESF SNF | Recent severe cold weather resulted in many residential care facilities and homes in our state with broken pipes and/or damaged sprinkler systems. Our State Fire Marshal has prepared some tips to help you prevent any future damage to property and interruption in operations because of severe inclement weather.
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AL SNF | AHCA/NCAL has developed comprehensive resources to assist LTC providers in promoting vaccinations, educating and offering vaccines to staff and residents (also fulfilling a regulatory requirement), and navigating the complicated commercial market for COVID-19 vaccines.
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AL ESF SNF | WCN is looking for state-wide stakeholders to join our Clinical Placement Initiative. This Initiative aims to transform clinical placement opportunities for nursing programs in Washington State.
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AL SNF | Last year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued the
final joint employer rule that broadens the NLRB's definition of employer.
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Assisted living residents will likely have outside health care service providers such as home health or hospice at some point during their stay in the...
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AL SNF | All Bronze, Silver, and Gold level applications must be finalized and submitted by
8 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
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AL ESF SNF | A new provider letter is now available online regarding the above topic.
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AL ESF SNF | The Dementia Action Collaborative (DAC) is seeking input from providers about barriers and challenges of screening, diagnosing, and caring for people living with dementia.
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AL ESF SNF | WA Board of Nursing is now accepting submissions for Winter 2024! The deadline to apply for grant reimbursement is April 15, 2024.
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Stay up to date with vaccines Get vaccinated against flu, RSV and COVID-19: Protect against flu, RSV, and COVID-19 flyer. COVID-19, flu, RSV, Pneumococcal...
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AL SNF | The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) is excited to announce the opening of applications for the next class of the
Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP).
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AL ESF SNF | More information is forthcoming, but WHCA has been informed through our partners at ERNWest that there is an emphasis program regarding industrial hygiene for skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.
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AL ESF SNF | A new factsheet which aims to help explain health insurance plan coverage details for updated COVID-19 vaccines and COVID-19 vaccine accessibility has been added to the CDC website.
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AL | Washington law treats independent living residencies differently from both assisted living and memory care. Independent living residencies are considered “residential tenancies” under RCW 59.18, the Residential Landlord Tenant Act, and are legally treated just like any other regular landlord/tenant relationship.
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AL SNF | There's still time to submit your application for the AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Awards. Applications and fees are due by Thursday, January 25.
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AL SNF | Provider members of WHCA also enjoy the benefits of membership in American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living.
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AL ESF SNF | The Department of Health has adopted the updated COHRA/CSTE outbreak definition for healthcare on January 1
st.
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AL ESF SNF |
The National Weather Service (NWS) reports an extremely active period of weather will begin in earnest today as the region will see heavy mountain snow, lowland rain, strong winds, and possible coastal flooding through midweek.
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Monday, January 8, marked the start of the 60-day 2024 legislative session, and WHCA members came out swinging.
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AL ESF SNF | OSHA's Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Standard closely relates to the general duty clause in that it is up to the employer to recognize (or assess) the hazards specific to their center and then control those hazards. However, it is important to note that before we begin to select and distribute PPE to employees, we are required to first conduct a Hazard Assessment.
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AL ESF | Washington State Department of Health recently shared the upcoming changes to the way caregivers will schedule and pay for their home care aide exam. These changes are on track to be implemented in February 2024.
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Washington state was an early legalizer of both medical and recreational marijuana. The legalization of cannabis in the state prompted long term care providers to...
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AL ESF SNF | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a
Health Advisory through
the Health Alert Network (HAN) addressing concerning trends for influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This alert refers to all healthcare providers and settings.
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A provider letter regarding the following topic is now available online: COVID-19, Influenza, RSV, and Pneumococcal Vaccination Reminder
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Access to your DOH sponsored 3M account will stop on December 30, 2023. Please update your account now by archiving the employees that have left...
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AL ESF SNF | In March of 2020, Governor Inslee introduced an emergency proclamation that temporarily suspended the law that requires long-term care workers to complete fingerprint-based background checks. On October 27, 2022, the emergency proclamation was lifted, and BCCU is planning to reintroduce closing (expiring) background check inquiries beginning January 1st, 2024.
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AL SNF | Governor Jay Inslee is slated to release his 2025 supplemental operating budget this week. The proposal will update the state’s two-year operating proposal, including Medicaid funding for the period of July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025.
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AL ESF SNF | The Washington Patient Safety Coalition invites you to nominate healthcare workers who have fearlessly spoken up for patient safety. Your nominations not only recognize their dedication but also pave the way for their statewide acknowledgment.
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AL | It has come to the attention of WHCA staff that DSHS/Residential Care Services has been posting facilities’ plans of correction (POC) with the Statements of Deficiencies (SOD) on the DSHS facility locator webpage.
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The WA DOH appreciates all the collective work and effort done to protect LTC residents from vaccine-preventable diseases. However, there is more work to be done.
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This Thanksgiving season, we wanted to take a moment and express our genuine gratitude for all of our wonderful members.
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AL SNF ESF | The Strategic Partners Program in the Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance section of the Washington State Department of Health is pleased to announce the release of three updated educational videos to help visitors to long-term care settings learn about basic infection control measures for preventing COVID-19, flu, and other infectious diseases.
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AL SNF ESF | The Washington State Department of Health’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Team would like to wish you a Happy U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week!
Their team is proud to announce that two new resources are available now.
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AL SNF | This Leadership Academy is designed to teach facility leaders practical skills to help them build trust with their staff. This virtual 15-week interactive program is filled with easy-to-use tools and resources that leaders can apply to improve outcomes at their organization.
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AL SNF ESF | AHCA/NCAL has published a guide for OSHA regulations for long-term care providers to easily reference.
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There are times when assisted living wellness staff experiences difficulties in obtaining residents’ necessary medications; there are various reasons for these difficulties and methods to address them.
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Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service has extended the deadline to participate in their NCAL-supported study to November 20
th, and there is no cost to participate. Download the questionnaire
here.
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AL | The Quality in Assisted Living Collaborative (QALC) – a coalition comprised of Argentum, the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), LeadingAge, the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), and the National Association for Regulatory Administration (NARA) – is developing
Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines for Assisted Living Communities.
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AL ESF SNF | Join RCS leadership to learn more about their strategies and to share issues and challenges providers face.
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Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service has extended the deadline to participate in their NCAL-supported study to November 20
th.
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Starting December 5, WHCA is offering a valuable, multi-session virtual experience for Assisted Living facilities!
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Governor Inslee is at work now developing the first of three budget proposals that will ultimately be considered by the Legislature, which means now is our first big opportunity to advocate for funding in the State budget.
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AL SNF | Remember: the intent-to-apply deadline for the 2024 Quality Awards is Thursday, November 16.
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The approval of the new COVID-19 vaccines for 2023-2024 has triggered a change in the NHSN surveillance definition of "up to date" with the COVID-19 vaccine.
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The Washington State Board of Nursing (board) filed a CR-101 on August 4, 2023, under WSR 23-17-011
to consider amendments to nursing education rules in response to Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5582 (Chapter 126, Laws of 2023)
. Read More
In September, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released proposed skilled nursing facility (SNF) staffing requirements
for all U.S. care centers. Read More
Nurses are a relatively new addition to assisted living in Washington. In the early 2000s, it was rare to see a nurse working full-time in an...
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Residents must be assessed for the level of staff assistance they need with medications. Some residents (and in many instances some medications) warrant different levels of...
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The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) training unit and the Department of Health (DOH) worked diligently with stakeholders, including WHCA, throughout the pandemic...
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While all assisted living residents receive preadmission and ongoing assessments, those with symptoms of dementia require the facility staff to do some additional data collection. This...
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This article was originally sent via an emailed Survey and Regulatory newsletter in March 2022. While still accurate, new updates have come from DSHS because...
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With the high average number of daily medications taken by residents in assisted living, medication error rates can be relatively high. Combine the high number of...
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WHAT IS MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION? Legally, medication administration, accomplished by either a licensed nurse or a qualified credentialed caregiver, is the only medication service level that...
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