Medicare charting regulations???

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Ok, here is the situation. I have been a LPN in the same SNF for 10 years. I have been trained and I am skilled in med administration using the pyxis system, IV antibiotic administration, IV insertion, blood draws, EKG's, RXs, ect., ect.

Last night was the very first time in 10 years that LPN's were excluded from a nursing meeting. My charge nurse, whom I have a great relationship with, informed me that one of the things that came up in the meeting was that the Administrator stated that beginning very soon, she wanted ONLY RNs to do the nurses notes. Her stated reason was "because of Medicare regs".

First of all I can't possibly believe that there is any Medicare regs that state that it has to be an RN that does the nurses notes. Secondly, this is the biggest slap in the face that I can imagine. I've been doing 90% of the charting on my shift for almost 10 years now. I write at least as good a note or better than anyone else on the unit.

I have dug around the net for Medicare regs but am coming up with nothing so far that is quite that specific.

So, has anyone here ever heard of anything quite so freaking rediculous? Does anyone know of any such Medicare regulations?

Can you lead me somewhere where I could acquire the info I need?

Please help me out. I have already spent one sleepless night over this and I would like to be armed with as much information as possible before I have a meeting with the administrator about this issue.

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Specializes in ICU.

Can you not call Medicare or your professional association to enquire? Sounds fishy to me.

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

I know of none other than if you go by our state laws only an RN can assess. Do you notes look like an LPN Is doing the assessment? An RN can cosign notes. If an LPN finds something unusual the RN has to assess.

Hmmmmm. I know of no such Medicare reg that says only RNs can chart..........fishy.

ASk to see the page from the tag (the reg) that says this is so......I bet you won't get one...

renerian

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"ASk to see the page from the tag (the reg) that says this is so......I bet you won't get one... "

I will be confronting her today and will do exactly that. Thanks.

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Specializes in ICU.
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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Jammer I want to know to what you found out?

renerian

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