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This is your gateway to learning the ins and outs of successfully navigating federal and state surveys

You're A Good RDN but...

  • You don't feel confident in your role as a Long Term Care RD

  • You're not sure what the regulations are and it has you concerned if you're doing what you need to be

  • You're in your "window" for state and are feeling nervous

  • When you hear the words "State is in the building" you hope you've done everything you needed to and that they don't ask to speak with you

  • You have good clinical skills but aren't familiar with the terminology for LTC

Upon Completion of This Course...

After finishing this course, you will be well equipped and feel confident in your role as the nutrition expert in LTC. You will also earn 24.5 CEUS!

This course is unlike any other course, or book available. It contains videos, written modules, downloads, PDFs, templates, AND real world experience from my 20+ years of experience in LTC having conducted, and also having successfully passed, 100s of surveys.

This is not a Care Planning/MDS course; however, The MDS Guidelines & Coding criteria are included.

Your Roadmap To Being Survey Ready

  • 1

    Before You Start

    • Welcome Video

    • How to Use This Course

    • Intake Form

    • Terms and Conditions/Privacy Policy

    • Learning Objectives
  • 2

    Your Role/Responsibilities as a LTC RDN

    • Video On Role & Responsibilities

    • Characteristics Needed For A RDN In LTC

    • Employee vs. Consultant

    • Information/Documents The Facility Will Need For Your File

    • What Are The Requirements Of The RDN In LTC

    • State Law Requirements: TAC Requirement For Example

    • What Role/Responsibilities Does the RDN Have in LTC

    • Key Points To Address

    • Organizational System

    • Sample RDN Consultant Contract
  • 3

    The Survey Process

    • Video on the Survey Process

    • The Purpose of a Survey

    • Survey Protocol

    • What is an F Tag and A Statement of Deficiency?

    • List of F Tags

    • Scope and Severity Grid for F Tags

    • What Does the RD Need to Be Aware of During the Survey Process?

    • What is the State Operations Manual Guidance to Surveyors?

    • State Operations Manual Guidance To Surveyors: Appendix PP_Release_Nov 22
  • 4

    F-692: Nutrition & Hydration/Acceptable Parameters of Nutritional Status

    • Video Part 1 of F 692

    • Intent and Definitions

    • Guidance

    • Assessment

    • Care Planning

    • Interventions

    • Monitoring

    • Let's Walk Through This Part Together/Your Roadmap To Be Ready For State

    • Video Part 2 of F 692

    • Investigative Protocol and Key Elements of Noncompliance

    • Examples of Noncompliance and Their Severity Levels (This is golden information!)

    • Specific Deficiencies I Have Written
  • 5

    F-693: Assisted Nutrition & Hydration

    • Video On Assisted Nutrition And Hydration

    • Intent And Definitions

    • Guidance and Considerations Regarding the Use of Feeding Tubes

    • Consent For Feeding Tube

    • Technical Aspects of Feeding Tubes

    • Nutritional Aspects of Feeding Tubes

    • Complications

    • Procedures And Use of The Tube Feeding Critical Element Pathway

    • Key Elements of Noncompliance/A Deficiency Will Be Written When the Following Does Not Happen

    • Severity Level 4 Noncompliance : Immediate Jeopardy To Resident Health Or Safety

    • Severity Level 3 Considerations: Actual Harm that is Not Immediate Jeopardy

    • Severity Level 2 Noncompliance: No Actual Harm With Potential for More Than Minimal Harm that is Not Immediate Jeopardy

    • Severity Level 1: No Actual Harm With Potential For Minimal Harm

    • Specific Deficiencies I Have Written
  • 6

    CMS Critical Element Pathways

    • Video On Critical Element Pathways

    • What Are CMS Critical Element Pathways?

    • CMS-Nutrition

    • CMS-Dental

    • CMS-Pressure Ulcer

    • CMS-Tube Feeding

    • CMS-Hydration

    • CMS-Dialysis
  • 7

    Tips On Interacting With Surveyors

    • Video On Tips With Interacting With Surveyors

    • 5 Do's Of Communicating With Surveyors

    • 5 Don'ts Of Communicating With Surveyors

    • Bonus Tip

    • What To Do When They Ask, "What Is Your Policy?"
  • 8

    The Kitchen Sanitation Inspection

    • Video On Kitchen Sanitation

    • How Often Should A Kitchen Inspection By Completed

    • Appropriate Attire For Completing Inspection

    • Key Items To Look For During The Kitchen Inspection Per CMS

    • Other Important Items to Monitor

    • Communication

    • CMS Kitchen/Food Service Observation Form

    • CMS HHS KITCHEN/FOOD SERVICE OBSERVATION DETAILED REPORT
  • 9

    F-812: Food Safety Requirements

    • Video On Food Safety

    • Food Safety Requirements

    • Examples of Level 4: Immediate Jeopardy To Resident Health And Safety

    • Example Of Level 3: Actual Harm (Physical Or Psychological) That Is Not Immediate Jeopardy

    • Examples Of Level 2 : No Actual Harm With A Potential For More Than Minimal Harm (Physical Or Psychological) That Is Not Immediate Jeopardy

    • Level 1 Severity

    • Additional Concerns

    • Specific Deficiencies I Have Written
  • 10

    Trayline Observations

    • Video On Trayline Observations

    • Frequency And Key Things To Observe During Trayline Observations

    • Concerns I Have Observed With Pureed Foods

    • Test Trays
  • 11

    Dining Room Observations

    • Video On Dining Room Observations

    • What Are Surveyors Looking For During Dining Observations

    • CMS-20053 Dining Observation Form

    • If Concerns Are Noted Surveyors Next Steps Will Be The Following (Don't Miss This)

    • DEFICIENCY CATEGORIZATION: Examples Of Level 4, Immediate Jeopardy to Resident Health and Safety

    • Example Of Level 3: Actual Harm (Physical or Psychological) That Is Not Immediate Jeopardy

    • Examples Of Level 2 : No Actual Harm With a Potential For More Than Minimal Harm (Physical or Psychological) That Is Not Immediate Jeopardy

    • Example Of Level 1: No Actual Harm With a Potential For Minimal Harm
  • 12

    Clinical Charting/Reports/Guidelines

    • Video Part 1 Clinical Charting Requirements

    • Minimum Number of Hours Required By RDN

    • Which Residents Should You Chart On & When

    • The Method I Use For Tracking

    • Chart for Determination of Significant or Severe Weight Loss

    • Formula To Determine % of Body Weight Lost

    • Video Part 2 Clinical Charting

    • Three Keywords To Document When Charting/What Are Surveyors Looking For

    • Best Practice Documentation Guidelines For Consulting Dietitians

    • Sample Nutrition Assessment Form

    • Dietitian Visit Report

    • Monthly Weight Loss Report

    • Monthly Weight Gain Report

    • Nutrition Recommendations Report

    • MD Letter
  • 13

    Best Practice Guidelines: Examples

    • Video On Best Practice Guidelines

    • Best Practice Dining/Meal Service

    • Best Practice Unintended Weight Loss

    • Best Practice Unintended Weight Gain

    • Best Practice Intended Weight Loss

    • Best Practice Documentation Guidelines For Consulting Dietitians
  • 14

    MDS/Care Plans

    • Video On MDS/Care Plans

    • Who Is Responsible

    • MDS-3.0-Chapter-3-Section-K Guidelines/Coding

    • Care Plans/Interdisciplinary Team
  • 15

    FAQ

    • Video On FAQs

    • Resident Refusing To Be Weighed

    • Can The RDN Write Diet Orders?

    • What Are The Requirements For the Director of Food Service

    • Can A Deficiency Be Written For Substituting Food Items & Not Updating The Menu or Notifying Residents?

    • Does CMS Allow for Staff Exemptions from the COVID Vaccine?

    • Can A Visitor Share a Meal With or Feed The Resident They Are Visiting?

    • Position Statement On Liberalized Diets
  • 16

    Conclusion & Next Steps

    • Let's Keep It Simple

    • Keeping Things in Perspective
  • 17

    Course Evaluation

    • Course Evaluation
  • 18

    Bibliography

    • Bibliography
  • 19

    Obtaining CEUs

    • Steps To Obtain Your CEUs

    • Post Assessment

    • Critical Thinking Evaluation Tool For Self-Study Program

    • Certificate of Completion Prior Approval-PRINT OFF BEFORE COMPLETING

FAQs

  • How long will I have access to the course?

    When you enroll in the course you will have a full 12 month access to all of the materials (this includes any updates that are done during that time). You will move through the course at your own pace, go as fast or as slow as you like.

  • Are CEUs provided?

    Be A Survey Ready RDN is now approved for 24.5 CEUs!!

  • What is the refund policy?

    Due to the nature of the course, and given that you have full access to all of the materials when your enrollment begins, there are no refunds issued.

What RDNs Are Saying About "Be A Survey Ready RDN"

  • I started at a LTC facility with very little prior experience in LTC and no dietitian available at the facility for training. I found this course so helpful in increasing my confidence in my role and learning what things I should be doing aside from just completing nutrition assessments. I would recommend this course to any dietitian who is new to LTC!

  • This course was a great summary of what every RDN that works in long term care needs to know. I wish I had taken a course with all this information my first year of working in LTC. It covers all the important clinical and management aspects of preparing the dietary department for full book survey. This information will help any dietary team reach the ultimate goal of achieving a deficiency free survey.

  • What I found most helpful was reviewing all the dietary F tags and CMS critical element Pathways. The examples of different scenarios during state survey were also helpful to illustrate common nutrition/ dietary f-tags that are given.

  • The videos in each module going in depth on what was included in the module was what I found most helpful.

  • This course exceeded my expectations, very informative and useful information!

  • This course is a definite 10!

What Makes This Course Different...

  • Videos

    This is NOT just a bunch of reading (although there is a lot of that too)! Each module contains a video where I walk you through the materials in that section and explain the principles and manner in which to best use the downloads and material in order to successfully prepare you for surveys.

  • Real World Application

    I bring my 20+ years of experience in the LTC setting, both as a State Surveyor and RDN employee and consultant, into this course. I talk about my personal experiences and make the material applicable and easy to understand. I show you how to use the processes that surveyors use so you can be knowledgeable and prepared.

  • Time Saving

    No more countless hours searching for article after article, blog posts after blog post, and the overwhelming CMS website, trying to find out what you need to know to be knowledgeable in your role as an RDN in LTC . This course will save you tons of time and frustration as it provides you with a comprehensive course on what you NEED to know as an RDN in LTC.

Regular Price $599 but sign up now for $299

About Me

Hi, my name is Stefanie Wilkerson and I am a Registered and Licensed Dietitian who has been working in LTC for over 20 years now. I started out as an employee for a large LTC facility and was serving as both the clinical RD, and the department head over all of the foodservice operations. I left that facility to become a state surveyor. I was a Nutritionist V Surveyor for the state of Texas, and to be honest I loved my job! The only reason I left was to have more flexibility, and to be home more with my twins, who at the time were toddlers (they are now seniors in college, where did the time go!). When I left my state job I immediately began consulting with area facilities, and my business began to grow at a fast pace. I have enjoyed my career in LTC and continue to serve over 20 facilities, along with the assistance from the other RDs on my team. Having worked as an employee, a surveyor, and as a consultant, I have a wealth of knowledge in the area of LTC. My desire is to help other RDs learn how to flourish in their role in serving the geriatric population, all while feeling confident and knowledgeable of the federal regulations that govern LTC facilities.