Episodes

Sept. 30, 2026

From the DON’s Desk to the Boardroom: The Real Root Cause

In this LTC NAC chat podcast episode, host Kim Hicks sits down with Jackie Vance, the Real Nurse Jackie, and gerontologist Amy Chidester to argue that incontinence isn't a hygiene task. It's the hidden root cause behind falls, skin breakdown, and UTIs. They trace how unmanaged incontinence drives survey citations, litigation, antibiotic overuse, and lost revenue, and how DONs can take that case from the floor to the boardroom. Plus: the one question every DON can start asking this week.Additiona...
Sept. 30, 2026

Quality Measures: Understanding When Residents Trigger, When They Fall Off, and What It Means for Five-Star

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss how quality measures work, including when residents trigger measures, when they fall off, and what those results mean for Five-Star. Get Expert Insights—On Demand Don't wait to catch up on the latest changes impacting long-term care. Tune in for conversations with AA...
Sept. 23, 2026

Beyond Therapy: The SLP’s Role in MDS Coding and Documentation

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, CRC, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, and Ashleigh Pristas, MS, CCC-SLP, PNAP, regional director of clinical services with Restore Therapy Services, discuss how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can support MDS completion through comprehensive, accurate coding and documentation.This podcast episode was made in collaboration with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Get Expert Insights—On...
Sept. 15, 2026

Nursing Facility Systems Series – Part 3: Creating a Culture of Fall Prevention

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Part 3 of the Nursing Facility Systems Series, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, director of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, discuss how to build a culture of fall prevention. Additional Resources: Post-Fall Assessments – Nursing In-service Education In-Service Education Library Nursing Facility Systems Series – Part 1: Skin Program/Wou...
Sept. 15, 2026

From Certification to Transformation: How Majestic Care Is Leading Culture Change Through an Organization-Wide Education Strategy

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Kirsten Vermulen, organizational membership manager for AAPACN, and Stephanie Fisher, senior director of RAI for Majestic Care, an Organizational Plus Member of AAPACN, discuss how Majestic has made professional certification part of its approach to developing and supporting its nursing teams. Listen to this podcast episode to hear why Majestic made that investment, how they put it into practice, and what they’ve learned along the way. Additional Resources: ...
Aug. 31, 2026

FY 2027 SNF PPS Final Rule: Highlights for NACs

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss important highlights from the FY 2027 SNF PPS Final Rule and what nurse assessment coordinators need to know. Additional Resources: FY 2027 SNF PPS Final Rule Fact Sheet FY 2027 SNF PPS Final Rule: What NACs Need to Know SNF Regulatory Rundown: Final Rule, PEPPER, iQ...
Aug. 19, 2026

Five-Star Management Challenges NACs Are Facing

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss the Five-Star management challenges nurse assessment coordinators are facing today. Additional Resource: GG Trivia Games LTC NAC Chat – Five-Star Management Challenges NACS Are Facing - Full Transcript(intro music) Amy: Hello, thank you for joining LTC NAC Chat, a po...
Aug. 19, 2026

The Missing Link Between Clinical Management and Reimbursement

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, AAPACN Diamond Business Partner eBrief and Leigh Ann Frick, PT, MBA, RAC-CT, owner and president of Care Navigation Consulting LLC, discuss PDPM, incontinence, and the missing link between clinical management and reimbursement. Get Expert Insights—On Demand Don't wait to catch up on the latest changes impacting long-term care. Tune in for conversations with AAPACN experts and industry leaders covering MDS, reimbursement, quality measures, leadership, survey ...
Aug. 5, 2026

Interrupted Stays: Clearing Up the Confusion

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA and Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, CRC, curriculum development specialists for AAPACN, discuss interrupted stays and the questions nurse assessment coordinators have about applying the interrupted stay policy in practice. Additional Resources: Interrupted Stay Flow Chart Interrupted Stay Tracker Tool Interrupted Stay Policy FAQs and Resources Get Expert Insights—On Demand Don't wait to catch up on the latest chan...
Aug. 5, 2026

Beyond the Brief: The Hidden Clinical Impact of Incontinence in SNFs

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode provided by AAPACN Diamond Business Partner, eBrief, Dr. Richard Stefanacci and Amy Chidester, MS, LNHA explore why one of the most common challenges in skilled nursing is often one of the least discussed.The conversation examines the connection between incontinence management, quality measures, and emerging technologies that are helping providers make more informed care decisions. Get Expert Insights—On Demand Don't wait to catch up on the latest changes imp...
July 8, 2026

Advocacy in Action: How AAPACN Amplifies Members’ Voices

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast, AAPACN Chief Nursing Officer Amy Stewart joins Jessie McGill and Jennifer LaBay to discuss AAPACN's advocacy efforts and how the association amplifies the voices of post-acute care professionals with policymakers.
June 17, 2026

Extended Q&A from the April 30, 2026 AAPACN Webinar, Declutter Your Coding: Spring Cleaning Tips for ICD-10-CM Success in LTC

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, and Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, CRC, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, continue to answer questions from the AAPACN webinar, Declutter Your Coding: Spring Cleaning Tips for ICD-10-CM Success in LTC, which was presented April 30, 2026. Declutter Your Coding: Spring Cleaning Tips for ICD-10-CM Success in LTC – April 30, 2026 – On-Demand Webinar Ge...
June 3, 2026

Get To Know Your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC)

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, CRC, curriculum development specialist with AAPACN, discuss getting to know your Medicare Administrative Contractor. Additional Resources: CMS MAC Webpage https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/medicare-administrative-contractors-macs/whats-mac Medicare A/B Jurisdictions https://www.cms.gov/files/document/ab-jurisdiction-map0...
May 19, 2026

AAPACN and CMS Clarify Long-Stay Antipsychotic Measure Requirements

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, CRC, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, sr. curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, share clarifications from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the Long-Stay Antipsychotic measure. Additional Resources: New Year, New Measure: Making Sense of the Long-Stay Antipsychotic Re-Specification – Jan. 29, 2026 – On-Demand Webinar Extended AAPA...
May 13, 2026

Introducing AAPACN’s New Nursing Home Administrator—Certified (NHA-CT) Certification Program!

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, director of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, give listeners an inside look at AAPACN’s brand new certification program, the Nursing Home Administrator—Certified (NHA-CT). Additional Resources: NHA-CT Free on-demand webinar about the NHA-CT One-page information sheet about NHA-CT
May 4, 2026

Celebrating Yourself on NAC Day

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, Jessie McGill, senior curriculum development specialist, and Jennifer LaBay, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss celebrating yourself on NAC Day, raising awareness of the NAC role, and supporting wellness and self-care. Additional Resources: Free Member Tools: At-a-Glance QM, QRP, and VBP Tool PDPM At-a-Glance Tool Education Programs for NACs: MDS Essentials PDPM Documentation Essentials for th...
April 8, 2026

Falls with Major Injury: New CMS Guidance, Coding Clarity, and QAPI Strategies for SNFs

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Sarah Becker, RN, Director of Clinical Reimbursement for Proactive LTC Consulting, and Christine Twombly, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, CQP, CRC, break down the updated CMS guidance on Falls with Major Injury and what it means for MDS coding, Quality Measures, survey outcomes, and resident safety. Together, they simplify complex regulatory changes, clarify key definitions — including intercepted falls and pathological versus traumatic fractures — and walk through rea...
April 8, 2026

How to Discuss Your SNF’s Quality Measure Outcomes with External Parties

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Denise Winzeler, BSN, RN, LNHA, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, director of education and certification strategy for AAPACN, discuss how to have a conversation about your quality measure outcomes with external parties. Additional Resources: QM Rescue Guide QM Survival Guide Multidisciplinary Management of Five-Star Quality Measures QAPI and Quality Initiatives – Find news updates an...
March 31, 2026

Five-Star Drama: What NACs Need to Know About the Latest QM Changes

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss recent Five-Star and quality measure changes. Additional Resources: New Year, New Measure: Making Sense of the Long-Stay Antipsychotic Re-Specification – Jan. 29, 2026 Extended AAPACN Webinar Q&A: New Year, New Measure: Making Sense of the Long-Stay Antipsychotic Re-...
March 10, 2026

Aligned at the Top: The DNS/Administrator Partnership

In this LTC DON Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Lauren Stenson, MSN, RN, CNDLTC, QCP, DNS-CT, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss how directors of nursing services and administrators can strengthen their partnership, improve communication, and navigate the daily operational and clinical pressures that shape long-term and post-acute care leadership. Additional Resource: AAPACN 2026 Conference
March 3, 2026

AAPACN 2026 Conference Highlight: The MDS in Court – How Does Yours Standup? with Janine Lehman

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Janine Lehmen, director of clinical and legal nursing consulting with Proactive LTC Consulting, discuss Lehman’s AAPACN 2026 Conference session on Wednesday, March 18 at 2 pm ET, “The MDS in Court - How Does Yours Standup?” Additional Resource: AAPACN 2026 Conference
Feb. 17, 2026

Extended AAPACN Webinar Q&A: New Year, New Measure: Making Sense of the Long-Stay Antipsychotic Re-Specification

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, QCP, CRC, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, sr. curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, continue the question and answer session from McGill’s recent webinar, New Year, New Measure: Making Sense of the Long-Stay Antipsychotic Re-Specification, hosted on Jan. 29, 2026. Additional Resources: New Year, New Measure: Making Sense of the Long-Stay Antipsychotic Re-S...
Feb. 3, 2026

AAPACN 2026 Conference Highlight – Express Pass to Precision: Tackling Tricky ICD-10-CM Scenarios in Long-Term Care

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, QCP, CRC, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss some of the highlights of LaBay’s AAPACN conference session, “Express Pass to Precision: Tackling Tricky ICD-10-CM Scenarios in Long-Term Care.” Additional Resources: AAPACN 2026 Conference 2026 ICD-10 CM Files
Jan. 27, 2026

How to Improve Respect for the NAC Role

In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jessie McGill, RN, BSN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, senior curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss the self-perception of those working as the role of the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) and how they can feel more respected in their job.