Nursing Home News 2026Feb18

Fire Drills are Top Life Safety Citation

Fire drills remain the TOP life safety citation in Nebraska. Fire Marshal Doug Hohbein has provided us with an overview of Fire Drill Requirements in health care facilities. This applies to nursing homes and assisted living facilities classified as limited care facilities. During survey, you will be asked for documentation of Fire drill and fire alarm logs for the prior 15 months. You should consult this document, life safety code requirements, and your organization policies when determining Fire Drill protocol and documentation. 

DHHS Joint Association/Surveyor Training

Beginning with our February monthly meeting, DHHS began conducting joint member and surveyor training. This training will review aspects of state and federal requirements on a monthly basis. Handouts and a recording of these presentations is available on the members only page of the website. 

OIG Workplan Update Includes a New Nursing Home Task

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updated its workplan on February 17 and included a new task on nursing homes. The new task includes an audit of state agencies’ assurance of nursing homes’ compliance with requirements for safe storage of drugs and biologicals, specifically relating to preventing opioid misuse, overdose, and diversion. The project completion date is estimated to be Fiscal Year 2028. Review the work plan task here.

CMS Re-releases Nurse Incentive NOFO

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on February 9 that they have re-opened the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Financial Incentive Administrators for the Nursing Home Staffing Campaign. Financial Incentive Administrators (FIAs) are public, private, and state institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations such as associations for nurses, nursing schools, and nursing students. Nursing homes and nursing home associations are ineligible to apply for this NOFO. This NOFO is part of CMS’s Nursing Home Staffing Campaign and will fund FIAs to recruit registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) to work in nursing homes and state survey agencies. Read the NOFO here. The NOFO closes March 27, 2026. CMS intends to select FIAs in summer 2026. The FIAs will have time to set up infrastructure before beginning to recruit and place nurses and disburse funds. More information is forthcoming on eligibility criteria and procedures for nursing homes to be matched with incentivized nurses.

QCOR Update

Here is your NATIONAL Nursing Home Weekly Recap