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Tip of the week: Create a QIS mock survey team

Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly, August 13, 2009

Build your mock survey team and select a team coordinator to keep all participants focused and to facilitate a collaborative effort. Include key representatives from clinical and nonclinical areas who are detail-oriented, have clinical expertise, and knowledge of the federal regulations. Specialty mock surveyors and maintenance/operations representatives need not be present during the entire survey process. However, they should discuss their findings with the survey team prior to exiting and be available by phone during the entire survey process. Team size will vary according to the size of the facility, survey history, special care units, and the experience of the survey team members. Ideally, the mock survey team should include the following:

• Team facilitator
• Administrator or operations manager
• Director of nursing services
• Maintenance
• Licensed or registered nurse
• Nursing assistant
• Social services representative
• Specialty mock surveyors
• Registered dietitian
• Pharmacist      

Educate your mock survey team. Allow it time to review the steps in the QIS process and review the tools it will be using during this mock survey. It should be aware that at any time during the survey, the team may meet to discuss issues. The first time the team conducts the QIS mock survey may be the most time-consuming since the process and tools are new. Do not let the team get discouraged. It will soon become a master of the process and the reward will be priceless as the facility becomes successful in accomplishing person-centered care.

This is an excerpt from HCPro’s book, The QIS Mock Survey Guide, by Frosini Rubertino, RN, CRNAC, C-NE, CDONA/LTC.

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