Much has been made of the letter issued earlier this month by CMS regarding social media use by nursing home staff involving residents.
Revise Your Organization’s Policy:
Complying with the requirements of that letter need not involve drafting an entirely new social media policy. Here is suggested language, taken directly from the CMS letter, to amend your abuse policy*:
Nursing home staff are prohibited from taking or using photographs or recordings in any manner that would demean or humiliate a resident(s). This would include using any type of equipment (e.g., cameras, smart phones, and other electronic devices) to take, keep, or distribute photographs and recordings on social media.
*We recommend that you take time to review your entire abuse policy to make sure it meets regulatory requirements. Contact Rachel Monger with questions.
Train Your Staff:
Once the social media requirements are incorporated into your policies and procedures, nursing homes are required to train staff on the policies pursuant to the CMS memo.
Additional resources:
Information articles
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