What must nursing homes do to ensure compliance with resident care regulations?

To ensure compliance with resident care regulations, it is essential for nursing homes to regularly update their care policies and procedures. This ongoing process ensures that the facility adheres to current standards of care, regulations, and best practices. By updating these policies, nursing homes can reflect changes in laws, incorporate new evidence-based practices, and respond to feedback from residents and their families or staff.

Regularly updating care policies and procedures serves to clarify protocols for staff, improve the quality of care provided to residents, and ultimately enhance the overall operation of the facility. It also supports staff training and ensures that everyone is aligned with the expected standards of care, which is critical for the safety and well-being of residents.

In contrast, minimizing the reporting of incidents could lead to unaddressed issues that compromise resident safety, while increasing the number of staff does not inherently guarantee compliance with regulations unless those staff members are trained under updated policies. Restricting access to residents' records goes against principles of transparency and could violate legal and ethical standards regarding resident rights.