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Back to: WALA Home > Industry Insider > News Index > WALA News for March 10, 2004
Last Fax Blast on Feb 26, 2004 Have you registered for the WALA conference March 23 - 25, 2004 at the Olympia in Oconomowoc? If not, why not? Everything you need to know about the three jam packed days is available on this website or by calling the office at 608/288-0246. And if you haven't registered, do you really want to miss the largest assisted living conference in Wisconsin? It will be three days of discussion, networking, education, learning, questioning and sharpening your skills. We'll see ya there! Register online now! We wish to encourage all of you to attend the optional Provider Roundtables by regulatory category (AFH, CBRF or RCAC) on Tuesday, March 23. In addition, we especially want to encourage Adult Family Homes to attend, as it is difficult for you to get to a meeting of your AFH peers. WALA will waive the registration fee for AFHs (only) for that session. Call the office for info and spread the word to your fellow AFHs. 2) Deja FISH - What A FISH Incentive Deja FISH All Over Again - As if you needed an incentive to go FISHing, WALA has negotiated an incredible deal for attendees of the upcoming FISH seminar on Friday, April 23! Our host, the Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells, is allowing us to offer rooms to our attendees at an unheard of discount. The rooms, which include four free waterpark passes and free admission to Wiley's Woods, are usually $269/night. But for this seminar only, you can book rooms for $109/night - less than $30/person for a family of four! Even their staff cannot believe that we got a deal this good! For those of you who have not toured the indoor waterpark and the four-story interactive video game adventure, I can only say WHOA! "Something for everyone" only begins to describe the family fun zone that the Great Wolf has created. There is a toddler area with rubber surround and 8" pool, an activity pool for the kids to swim or float on giant foam snakes and turtles, various water slides for different age groups, a tubing river, speed slides, a tree-fort-style water activity area the size of a warehouse, a snack bar with goodies for the kids (and adults), an adults only hot tub area, and so much more. There is an Aveda salon (10% discount on all treatments if you book in advance of your stay) and an arcade on the lower floor, or enter Wiley's Woods for a chance for the kids - or the whole family - to star in a 4-story LIVE video game where you collect foam ball "berries", shoot them from air guns, and run through mazes, nets and slides to earn points. Learn all about FISH online or call the WALA office, then turn work into pleasure by booking a stay on April 22 or 23 for this amazing low price. Bring your friends, spouse and/or kids to enjoy a mini-vacation that any FISH supporter would approve! When making reservations, make sure to ask for the Assisted Living Block and give the Group # 3A31X2 - because not just anyone can receive this incredible discount opportunity! Register online now The Wisconsin Legislature is scheduled to end the 2003-05 session on Thursday, March 11, 2004. This means that any legislation that has not passed both houses of the legislature by March 11th is considered dead and will have to be re-introduced next year when the new 2005-07 session begins. However, there are many rumors around the State Capitol that a "special session or "extraordinary session" may occur sometime after the March 11 deadline. The focus of a special session could include legislative proposals impacting healthcare, Medical Assistance, insurance coverage and\or property taxes. Again, these are only rumors therefore there is an equal chance that a special session may not be called. This November, half of the Wisconsin State Senate (17) and all Assembly Representatives (99) will be up for re-election. This summer, legislative candidates will begin to push hard with their election campaigns. Therefore, this spring, summer and fall are great times to invite your state legislators to tour your facilities and homes - to visit with residents, clients, their families and the direct care workers. This is the perfect time to educate our elected officials about the funding crisis that exists in Medicaid, COP, CIP, Family Care and other programs that are designed to assist the elderly and disabled. WALA will have additional information this summer to help you arrange for your legislator to tour your facility in 2004. 4) HFS-83 Rewrite Process Starts Again BQA's Kevin Coughlin announced that the rewrite of HFS-83 will begin again after a lengthy hiatus. WALA has formed a work group to review the upcoming drafts over the next year. If you would like to give your comments on those drafts to our workgroup, let WALA know and we will email you the drafts as they come in. This
will still be a long process and it is WALA's guess that the entire
process will take two years at a minimum. One major discussion
item continues to be strengthening HFS-83 training. Kevin confirmed
that
the competency tests proposed earlier are back on the discussion
table. It is also clear to us that some new system to ensure better-trained
staff is inevitable. 5) BQA Handout on Self-Reporting vs. Complaint BQA has listened to the industry about the way that they handle self-reporting and are changing their system. Historically, BQA has counted self-reporting as a complaint, and that has usually led to an onsite visit. Revised requirements to self-report are detailed in this handout. However, this is not an official BQA memo and was not intended to educate the audience on which provider types require what types of self-reports. The handout is available here (PDF) or by calling the WALA office. It is worthwhile reading as it gives examples of what must be self reported as well as how BQA will determine if it warrants an onsite visit. In many cases - as detailed in the handout - an onsite visit may not be necessary, a complaint will not be entered in your file and the determination will be placed in the facility file "as information only." 6) BQA Memo #04-009 on New Office of Caregiver Quality The BQA Caregiver Regulation and Investigation Section (CRIS) office, has been renamed the Office of Caregiver Quality and will continue reporting to the BQA Director's Office. Susan Larsen, who had been assigned the CRIS Interim Chief duties, is the new Director of the Office of Caregiver Quality (OCQ). Its duties include monitoring nurse aide training programs, registry and Promissor, Inc, completing caregiver background checks for all BQA regulated-entity license holders, principle officers and non-client residents upon application, and at a minimum, every four years and screening, investigating and substantiating findings of caregiver misconduct (abuse or neglect of a client or misappropriation of a client's property). The office will also oversee caregiver misconduct investigations so they are completed by investigative staff with the OCQ and the contracted private investigative agency, North Shore Investigation, Inc. For more info contact Office of Caregiver Quality, 2917 International Lane, Suite 300, Madison, WI 53704, FAX: (608) 243-2020, Caregiver Intake: (608) 243-2019. BQA Update - Office of Caregiver Quality (PDF) 7) BQA Memo # 04-004 on Meds Administration by UAPsMany licensed healthcare professionals are authorized by their license to delegate certain duties, including medication administration, to unlicensed personnel who are commonly referred to as unlicensed assistive personnel (UAPs). In Wisconsin, registered nurses and physicians commonly delegate medication administration. UAPs in Wisconsin include individuals who are trained to perform certain healthcare-related duties under the supervision of healthcare professionals. UAPs may have job titles such as medication aides, nurse aides, home health aides, certified medical assistants, pharmacy technicians or similar designations. The scope of duties for UAPs in regulated entities such as healthcare, assisted living and community facilities is generally defined by the requirements for their training and subject to the delegation of tasks to them by licensed healthcare professionals who supervise them. Regulations for most regulated entities require registered nurses (RNs), as the healthcare professional, be responsible for medication administration. Because of nursing shortages, some healthcare facilities have looked to UAPs to assist with various nursing duties, including medication administration. RNs are authorized and licensed to delegate medication administration to UAPs. The limits of that authority are governed by the laws and rules that regulate the practice of nursing in Wisconsin and the type of facility or entity in which RNs work. Healthcare providers, nurses, administrators and others routinely ask BQA about the scope of UAP duties and the extent of supervision required for UAPs to whom RNs delegate medication administration. The complexity of each healthcare situation requires healthcare professionals to know the extent of delegation permitted in a particular setting and to exercise professional judgment in accordance with their licensure as to whether a task should be delegated to a UAP. Medication Administration Delegated by Registered Nurses to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel [Memo (PDF)] [Document (PDF)] 8) BQA Memo #04-007 - CBRF Training Exemptions for Nursing School Graduates and Student Nurses HFS 83 provides exemptions in resident rights, challenging behaviors, and client group specific training; and in assessing needs and ISP development. The exemptions do not specifically address nursing school graduates and student nurses. This memo details how a person who has graduated from an accredited nursing school may be added to the list to be exempt from training under HFS 83.14(1)(a) and (b). CBRFs must retain a copy of the person's degree or transcripts indicating graduation from an accredited nursing program. It also details information for exemptions for student nurses. In March 9, the Senate passed the Columbus Park legislation with both amendments as listed below. The Senate Housing Committee voted on March 5 for passage of the bill with a Senate amendment (LRB 2581) that will remove the "sunset" provision and clarify that a "Legislative Council Study Committee" be created to study the issue of nonprofit housing and property tax exempt status. The amendment to SB 512 (LRB 2581) would provide that the "Roll Back" to a "Pre-Columbus Park Decision" is not temporary by simply removing the "sunset" provision. And it would modify language to require a "Legislative Council Study Committee" instead of a "staff report". This is to ensure that a committee comprised of legislators, Legislative Council staff, housing providers and municipal representatives can study the issue and offer their viewpoints and recommendations together. A final vote is expected soon. 10) ALFA's 2004 National Conference & EXPO Great
education also at the ALFA's 2004 National Conference & EXPO Chicago, May
5 - 7. Register Now! WALA IS YOUR ALFA! Back to Top of Page |
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Easy online registration at