SMQT UPDATED CORE SET QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔Team Composition - ✔✔The State Agency (or, for Federal teams, the RO) decides
what the composition of the survey team will be, as long as certain statutory and
regulatory requirements are met.
- Sections 1819(g)(2)(E) & 1919(g)(2)(E) of the Act & 42 CFR 488.314 require the
following:
- SNF and NF standard surveys must be conducted by a multidisciplinary team of
professionals, at least one of whom must be a registered nurse (RN)
- Surveyors must be free of conflicts of interest
- Surveyors must successfully complete a training and testing program in survey and
certification techniques that has been approved by the Secretary.
*** In other words, surveyors must successfully complete the CMS-approved training
AND pass Module A of the Surveyor Minimum Qualifications Test (SMQT).***
Surveyors who assess the requirements of quality of care, nutritional dietary services,
and drug therapy must also successfully complete Module B of the S
✔✔QUIZ QUESTION:
Regarding the composition of a Survey Team, who determines what constitutes a
professional? - ✔✔ANSWER:
The State... HOWEVER, CMS offers guidance.
- Consider using more than one RN
- Select members from a variety of professions
,- Select persons with clinical expertise and knowledge
- Consider including members of specialized disciplines
Make sure all members are qualified
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 1 of 5
**Consider using more than one RN** - ✔✔The State or RO should consider using more
than one registered nurse on teams that will be surveying a facility known to have a
large proportion of residents with complex nursing or restorative needs.
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 2 of 5
**Select members from a variety of professions** - ✔✔Who Else The Team Should
Include:
Because of the strong emphasis on resident rights, the psychosocial model of care, and
rehabilitative aspects of care in the regulations and the survey process, when possible,
the team should include:
- Social workers
- Registered dietitians
- Pharmacists
- Activity professionals, or rehabilitation specialists
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 3 of 5
**Select persons with clinical expertise + knowledge** - ✔✔Expertise & Knowledge:
It is important to use team members with clinical expertise and knowledge of current
best practices correspond to the following:
- Resident populations' assessed needs
- Services rendered in the facility to be surveyed
- Type of facility to be surveyed
-- For example:
If the facility has a known problem in dietary areas, there should be an effort to include a
dietitian on the team.
If there is a known problem in the area of quality of life, include a social worker.
, If the facility specializes in the care of residents with post-trauma head injuries and
strokes, a physical therapist may be needed on the team.
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 4 of 5
**Consider including members of specialized disciplines** - ✔✔Specialized Disciplines:
In addition to members of individual disciplines routinely included as members of the
survey team, consideration should be given to the use of individuals in specialized
disciplines who may not routinely participate as team members.
These individuals would be available to assist the survey team when specific problems
or questions arise. Consultants in these suggested disciplines include, but are not
limited to:
Physicians
Physician assistants
Nurse practitioners
Physical, speech, & occupational therapists
Dieticians
Sanitarians
Engineers
Licensed practical nurses
Social workers
Pharmacists
Gerontologists
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 5 of 5
**Make sure all members are qualified** - ✔✔CMS Qualified:
No individual shall serve as a member of a survey team unless the individual has
successfully completed the CMS approved training and testing program.
Surveyors in training, i.e., those who have not successfully completed the required
training, must be accompanied onsite by a surveyor who has successfully completed
the required training and testing.
While it is desirable that all survey team members be fully qualified, CMS recognizes
that trainees must be given opportunities to perform survey functions so that they can
achieve "fully qualified" status.
Participation in actual surveys is a valuable and integral part of a training program. In
fact, in the orientation program designed for newly employed surveyors, CMS
recommends that three weeks be spent in the field as part of the training.
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔Team Composition - ✔✔The State Agency (or, for Federal teams, the RO) decides
what the composition of the survey team will be, as long as certain statutory and
regulatory requirements are met.
- Sections 1819(g)(2)(E) & 1919(g)(2)(E) of the Act & 42 CFR 488.314 require the
following:
- SNF and NF standard surveys must be conducted by a multidisciplinary team of
professionals, at least one of whom must be a registered nurse (RN)
- Surveyors must be free of conflicts of interest
- Surveyors must successfully complete a training and testing program in survey and
certification techniques that has been approved by the Secretary.
*** In other words, surveyors must successfully complete the CMS-approved training
AND pass Module A of the Surveyor Minimum Qualifications Test (SMQT).***
Surveyors who assess the requirements of quality of care, nutritional dietary services,
and drug therapy must also successfully complete Module B of the S
✔✔QUIZ QUESTION:
Regarding the composition of a Survey Team, who determines what constitutes a
professional? - ✔✔ANSWER:
The State... HOWEVER, CMS offers guidance.
- Consider using more than one RN
- Select members from a variety of professions
,- Select persons with clinical expertise and knowledge
- Consider including members of specialized disciplines
Make sure all members are qualified
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 1 of 5
**Consider using more than one RN** - ✔✔The State or RO should consider using more
than one registered nurse on teams that will be surveying a facility known to have a
large proportion of residents with complex nursing or restorative needs.
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 2 of 5
**Select members from a variety of professions** - ✔✔Who Else The Team Should
Include:
Because of the strong emphasis on resident rights, the psychosocial model of care, and
rehabilitative aspects of care in the regulations and the survey process, when possible,
the team should include:
- Social workers
- Registered dietitians
- Pharmacists
- Activity professionals, or rehabilitation specialists
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 3 of 5
**Select persons with clinical expertise + knowledge** - ✔✔Expertise & Knowledge:
It is important to use team members with clinical expertise and knowledge of current
best practices correspond to the following:
- Resident populations' assessed needs
- Services rendered in the facility to be surveyed
- Type of facility to be surveyed
-- For example:
If the facility has a known problem in dietary areas, there should be an effort to include a
dietitian on the team.
If there is a known problem in the area of quality of life, include a social worker.
, If the facility specializes in the care of residents with post-trauma head injuries and
strokes, a physical therapist may be needed on the team.
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 4 of 5
**Consider including members of specialized disciplines** - ✔✔Specialized Disciplines:
In addition to members of individual disciplines routinely included as members of the
survey team, consideration should be given to the use of individuals in specialized
disciplines who may not routinely participate as team members.
These individuals would be available to assist the survey team when specific problems
or questions arise. Consultants in these suggested disciplines include, but are not
limited to:
Physicians
Physician assistants
Nurse practitioners
Physical, speech, & occupational therapists
Dieticians
Sanitarians
Engineers
Licensed practical nurses
Social workers
Pharmacists
Gerontologists
✔✔CMS Guidance for the Composition of a Survey Team: 5 of 5
**Make sure all members are qualified** - ✔✔CMS Qualified:
No individual shall serve as a member of a survey team unless the individual has
successfully completed the CMS approved training and testing program.
Surveyors in training, i.e., those who have not successfully completed the required
training, must be accompanied onsite by a surveyor who has successfully completed
the required training and testing.
While it is desirable that all survey team members be fully qualified, CMS recognizes
that trainees must be given opportunities to perform survey functions so that they can
achieve "fully qualified" status.
Participation in actual surveys is a valuable and integral part of a training program. In
fact, in the orientation program designed for newly employed surveyors, CMS
recommends that three weeks be spent in the field as part of the training.
