Nursing Homes

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is sponsoring a statewide Nursing Home Regulatory webinar on Oct. 15, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. All nursing home providers and interested parties are invited to participate.

This webinar will provide an update on implementation of nursing home regulation guidelines and updates.

Topics

• Top citations for the quarter 4 of fiscal year 2024
• Complaint data for the quarter 4 of fiscal year 2024
• Review of work accomplished for fiscal year 2024
• Presentation from Stratis Health “What can the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) do for you?”

Registration information

Please register to receive the call-in information: Microsoft Teams: Nursing Home Regulatory Updates Webinar.

The agenda and materials will be posted on the Regulatory Updates Webinars page prior to the call.

Contact information

For questions, please contact Sarah Grebenc at sarah.grebenc@state.mn.us. We look forward to having you attend the event.

A Collaboration Between Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care, Long Term Care Imperative, And Office of the Secretary of State.

American citizens who live in long-term care facilities in the United States have the right to vote. However, getting to the polls may be hard for some residents. Some assistance or support may be needed for residents to get access to and/or cast a ballot. This document explains ways facilities can reduce the spread of illness while ensuring that residents have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote. Facilities should establish systems to promote and protect resident voting access, though it is important to emphasize that these efforts must be consistent with each facility’s obligation to implement infection control practices that mitigate and reduce the spread of illnesses. This guidance is designed to further these goals, address the existing procedures for resident voting, highlight resident rights on this topic and outline ways to support residents to vote. Read the full Election and Voting Guidance for Long-Term Care Facilities.

The Minnesota Department of Health held a statewide Nursing Home Regulatory webinar on Tuesday July 16.

Resources from previous calls are available on the Regulatory Updates Webinars page.

Topics

1. Top citations for quarter three in fiscal year 2024
2. Complaint data for quarter three fiscal year 2024
3. QSO Admin Memo 24-14 ALL Revisions to the Review and Approval of Plans of Correction (POC)
4. QSO Nursing Home Memo 24-13 Revised Guidance for Long Term Care Facility Assessment Requirements
5. Nurse aide registry (NAR) online renewals and website updates

Registration Information

Please register to receive the call-in information: Microsoft Teams: Nursing Home Regulatory Updates Webinar.

Contact information

For questions, please contact Sarah Grebenc at sarah.grebenc@state.mn.us. We look forward to having you attend the event.

During the quarterly call on April 9, MDH received questions about facility self-reports and Enhanced Barrier Precautions from providers. We want to thank everyone who attended the call and asked their questions; listed below are resources to assist providers in understanding these guidelines.

Facility Self-Reports

We encourage providers to review the resources available from CMS, as well as the training that is available to through the CMS Quality, Safety, and Educational Portal (QSEP) training site.

• Nursing Homes (cms.gov)
• QSEP - Driving Healthcare Quality (cms.gov)

Enhanced Barrier Precautions

The QSO-24-08 NH Memo Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Nursing Homes to Prevent Spread of Multidrug-resistant Organisms (MDROs) | CMS, included links to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) web pages with additional resources and continuing education webinars.

The Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) team encourages providers to sign up for Project Firstline trainings and also provided links for additional resources:

• On the Health care infection prevention and control section of the Project Firstline Training and Resources page, click on Long-term care to for a webinar recording and supplemental resources.
  • You'll need to register to view the Enhanced Barrier Precautions webinar recording: PFL Enhanced Barrier Precautions (vovici.com).
• Implementation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Use in Nursing Homes to Prevent Spread of Multidrug-resistant Organisms (MDROs) | HAI | CDC
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Nursing Homes | HAI | CDC
• Consideration for Use of Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Skilled Nursing Facilities HICPAC (cdc.gov)
• Keeping Residents Safe – Use of Enhanced Barrier Precautions (cdc.gov) (PDF)
• Help Keep Our Residents Safe - Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Nursing Homes (cdc.gov) (PDF)

You can also reach out to the ICAR team via email at health.icar@state.mn.us.

The Resources for Providers page has been updated to include a section addressing adult-use cannabis and hemp-derived THC product consumption in long-term care facilities. You can also click here to go directly to the Frequently-Asked Questions about Cannabis Use page.

This guidance was created as a collaborative effort with the Office of the Ombudsman for Long-Term Care, Minnesota’s Long Term Care Imperative, and staff from the Minnesota Department of Health to respond to questions regarding recreational adult-use cannabis submitted by long-term care providers. It is not intended to be used by the general public.

This guidance is not intended to provide guidance for medical marijuana use, and may not address all provider questions. Facilities are encouraged to work with their legal teams to ensure compliance with all state and federal requirements.