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Positivity Rates are Now Through the State's Chart 

 
Last Chance for the Passenger Assistance/MVO Trainer Course
December 7-8, 2021
In-person training at NMHCA/NCAL

Register Here
NMHCA/NMCAL Updates
NMHCA/NMCAL Announces Expanded CMA Training
 
Members asked and we responded. In 2020, NMHCA/NMCAL was the first program to seek approval of virtual training, and now with the staffing shortages that have facilities scrambling to meet the needs of their residents, NMHCA/NMCAL expanded the number of classes being offered in 2022.

For 2022, NMHCA/NMCAL will offer classes in January, February, March, and April. We will also offer at least 2 additional classes in June/July and again in October. Due to the nature of the training, NMHCA/NMCAL limits the number of participants to 20 in-person and 10 virtually. This allows our Nurse Educator to provide the one-on-one assistance that affords your students the best chance of success. NMHCA/NMCAL has a long history of excellence with more than 98% of our students passing the Board of Nursing certification exam on their first attempt. Remember: NMHCA/NMCAL's CMA class rate for members is $800, lower than most other programs offerings. 
 
January’s class will be in-person in Albuquerque, and we are looking at the demand before determining which of the other classes will be virtual. While we understand the cost of travel is cumbersome, the members appear to be more concerned about being able to train as many as possible.  
 
The certified medication aide program allows facilities to free up their nursing staff by training CNAs to safely administer medications under the supervision of a registered nurse. NMHCA/NMCAL has been training staff as certified medication aides for 18 years and our proven training program is the longest-running program in New Mexico for Nursing and Assisted Living Facilities. If you are interested in learning more, contact talter@nmhca.org or pwhitacre@nmhca.org,

Member Services Reminder


The NM Department of Health recently decreased the provider calls to monthly. As a reminder, NMHCA/NMCAL members are able to reach out to NMHCA/NMCAL staff at any time for assistance and do not need to wait for the calls. 
AHCA  Updates
Happening Today: Register Now for AHCA/NCAL Vaccine Mandate Exemptions Webinar

AHCA/NCAL will host a webinar on how to implement religious and medical exemptions to CMS’ vaccine mandate today, November 22 at 4 PM Eastern. This webinar is available only to AHCA/NCAL members, and registration is required and limited. The webinar will also be recorded and available for review.
 
CMS Staff Vaccine Mandate: Implementing Religious & Medical Exemptions  

Presented by Sarah R. Skubas, labor and employment attorney with Jackson Lewis, P.C.  
 
Monday, November 22 at 4 PM Eastern, 2 PM Mountain
 
 
REGISTER TODAY
 
 

Submit Comments to CMS on Nursing Home Staff Vaccination Mandate 

AHCA has established a portal with guidance to help providers submit comments on the CMS Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Interim Final Rule . This rule requires Skilled Nursing Facilities, Nursing Facilities, and ICF-IIDs to establish a policy ensuring that all eligible staff be vaccinated for COVID-19 or request a medical or religious exemption.   

The implementation dates for this rule are as follows:  
  • Phase 1 – December 6, 2021: Staff must have received at least the first dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Phase 2 – January 4, 2022: Staff must be fully vaccinated, except staff who have been granted exemptions, or those whom COVID-19 vaccination must be temporarily delayed as recommended by the CDC due to clinical precautions and considerations. 
Comments can be submitted by January 4, 2022.  
 
 
 
Spotlight
NHSN Office Hours 
Comagine Health will host ongoing open office hours sessions for nursing home staff.  These sessions are designed to answer questions, offer opportunities for discussion, and provide on-the-spot technical support pertaining to NHSN reporting or vaccinations for residents and healthcare personnel (HCP).
Register for any of the sessions HERE.
 
  • Friday, December 3 at 11:30 AM MT
  • Tuesday, December 14 at 1:30 PM MT
 
Free COVID-19 Training and Resources for Nursing Homes
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Targeted COVID-19 Training for Frontline Nursing Home Staff and Management is a great resource for nursing home staff to put the latest information regarding infection control, COVID-19 preparedness, resident-centered care, vaccine distribution, and other important topics into practice.   
  
These resources were designed to help nursing home teams access the free, on-demand trainings and celebrate the staff who complete them. Materials include:   
  • A one-stop-shop User Guide (also available in Spanish) contains everything your nursing home needs to access and complete the training. The User Guide walks you through a pre-training checklist, registration, course selection, contacts , and more.  
  • A Kudos Kit contains social media messages and graphics, a press release template, printable graphics, and more to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of staff who take the critical step to complete the trainings. These items will help your teams celebrate their accomplishments internally, while also promoting them to families and community members, social media followers, and local media.   
  
Access the materials here: https://bit.ly/NHfrontline
 
We strongly encourage centers to make this a required training for current staff and management and incorporate the training as part of a required onboarding process. 


 Got Text? 
NMHCA/NMCAL rolled out our newest member service—text notifications--earlier this year. This allows us to send you a text to let you know when something important is released, such as new guidance, a data collection request, etc. While this information is typically sent out in the Bulletin, we understand that you may not always have time to read through them to determine what is important for you or sometimes, you might simply forget it came out when you have time to go through your emails. A text will serve as a reminder that there is something that may need your attention. Save the number, (833) 589-0341, in your phone as NMHCA/NMCAL so you don't miss a thing

Members need to opt in to be included, so if you or anyone in your facility would like to receive text notices, please email cell phone numbers, names, and titles to NMHCA/NMCAL at nmhca@nmhca.org
 
Long-term Care Poster
NMHCA/NMCAL developed the attached poster to assist facilities in communicating the differences in guidance and direction for assisted living and nursing facilities from the general public. We invite you to print as many copies as you'd like and post them around the areas or send them to families, so they have a clear understanding of the guidance you are required to follow. 

 
Reporting Information

Click here to download State Reporting Requirements

  • Report possible COVID-19--505-837-0006.
  • NM Division of Health Improvement Incident Reporting: (800) 752-8649
  • Vaccine breakthrough reporting -  505-827-0006. 
  • Report staff and resident vaccines to the State every Monday using the following link, https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JH392TC.

 

2021-22 Workshops

All workshops are currently planned as
in-person events. 



Passenger Assistance/MVO Trainer Course
December 7-8, 2021
In-person training at NMHCA/NCAL

Register Here

Certified Medication Aide Training
January 11-22, 2022
In-person training at NMHCA/NCAL

Register Here

Save the Date
MOAB Training-VBP Foundational Payment Requirement
February 1, 2022
Leadership Symposium
February 2-4, 2022 
Hilton of Santa Fe, Sant Fe, NM


PPE Ordering Information

Requests for PPE should submit Form ICS 213RR to your local Emergency Manager.

Download Emergency Manager List here 

PPE Ordering Process/instructions


NMHCA Staff Contact Information

Vicente Vargas, Executive Director,
v.vargas@nmhca.org, 505-710-8560

Patricia Whitacre, RN, Director of Clinical and Quality Services,
pwhitacre@nmhca.org, 505-301-3085

Tracy Alter, Senior Director of Member Services,
talter@nmhca.org, 505-440-3806


AHCA/NCAL Online Training

 ICD-10 Training for PDPM — CODER

ICD-10 Training for PDPM— NON-CODER

Understanding SNF VBP in Detail

Infection Preventionist Specialized Training - IPCO

The popular ahcancalED Infection Preventionist Specialized Training (IPCO) is on sale through October 31, 2020.  Registrants can save $50 off the regular registration price this month by using promo code IPCO2020 when they register. 
Copyright © 2018 New Mexico Health Care Association, All rights reserved.


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Phone: 505-880-1088 | Fax: 505-880-1157 | NMHCA / NMCAL Home Page

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