Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Cost of Inaction: 19 Deaths an Hour and Rising is the title of the report released late last week by Senators Bob Casey (PA) and Ron Wyden (OR).  Here’s the Executive Summary from this must-read 8-page report: The charts as well as information within the…… Continue reading The Cost of Inaction: 19 Deaths an Hour and Rising

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Have you/your LTC facility signed up to participate yet?  The AHRQ ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network – a partnership between AHRQ, the University of New Mexico’s ECHO Institute and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) – provides free training and mentorship to nursing homes…… Continue reading COVID-19 Updated Information as of Mid-December 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the current county positivity rates, with the date of December 14, 2020. Past county positivity postings are found in the Archives.  As always, remember that nursing homes are required to conduct testing of residents and staff.  based on the COVID-19 positivity rate for…… Continue reading CMS Posts Current County Positivity Rates – December 14, 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The following was disseminated via MLN Connects Special Edition on late Monday afternoon, December 14, 2020: On December 11, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID‑19 Vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 for individuals 16 years of…… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccine Codes: Updated Effective Date for Pfizer-BioNTech

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare TMF Networks has put together this Quick Guide sheet from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that lists information on the new COVID-19 vaccinations. 

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare This educational webinar is hosted by the National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA) and AMDA. CNAs and other frontline staff will learn about COVID-19 in LTC and the COVID-19 vaccine. An interactive Q&A with attendees and panelists will follow the webinar. This webinar is designed…… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccination Education Webinar for Certified Nursing Assistants: December 16, 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ Interim Recommendation for Use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, December 2020 is the December 13, 2020 early release of CDC’s MMWR. The FDA issued a Press ReleaseFriday, December 11, 2020.  “The FDA’s authorization for emergency use of the first…… Continue reading COVID-19 Updates, Information, Etc. for Second Week of December 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Pfizer has released several Fact Sheets relating to the just-approved COVID-19 vaccine: FACT SHEET FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ADMINISTERING VACCINE (29 pages)FACT SHEET FOR RECIPIENTS AND CAREGIVERS (6 pages) Global Information About Pfizer‑BioNTech COVID‑19 Vaccine (also known as BNT162b2) is also available for healthcare professionals as well…… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheets and Additional Information

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Monitoring vaccine safety is a vital part of the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 vaccines become available, the public’s knowledge and confidence in their safety, both initially and during extended use, is an important part of a successful national vaccination effort. CDC remains committed to…… Continue reading What Every Clinician Should Know about COVID-19 Vaccine Safety – Upcoming COCA Call

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has just updated NH COVID-19 data for week ending November 29, 2020.  Note that CMS is now reporting staff cases as well as resident cases (thank you CMS – both are important pieces of data!). The above info on staff cases and deaths is found…… Continue reading CMS Updates NH COVID-19 Data for Week Ending November 29, 2020