New employee interviews, deeper dive into PBJ data could lead to more survey citations

Nursing home operators should be on high alert about the questions surveyors will ask employees about sufficient staffing after heavy emphasis was placed on the matter in updated guidance released this week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

CMS now plans to incorporate Payroll Based Journal staffing figures into investigations about potential noncompliance with nurse staffing requirements. Surveyors will be looking for problems such as insufficient staffing, lack of a registered nurse for eight hours each day, and a lack of licensed nursing for 24 hours a day.

If surveyors develop concerns after research and staff interviews, they will be directed to dig deeper to determine the severity of noncompliance.