Senior living and skilled nursing HR teams manage some of the most demanding compliance environments in healthcare. High turnover, frequent surveys, and a long list of staff health requirements create constant pressure to keep records current. When screening and documentation are scattered across emails, spreadsheets, and local files, onboarding slows down and DOH survey prep becomes a fire drill. A clear, repeatable checklist does the opposite. It keeps staff cleared and records ready long before a surveyor walks through the door.
What Staff Screening Usually Includes
Most facilities screen new staff for several things at once: physical exams, TB screening, vaccines and titers, drug and alcohol testing, and physical abilities testing for direct-care roles. The exact mix varies by state, facility type, and job, so the goal is a consistent baseline you can adjust as needed rather than a one-size-fits-all screening protocol. Mobile Health supports senior living and skilled nursing employers with these services under one program, which keeps onboarding predictable across roles and locations.
TB Screening Done Right
CDC guidance generally moved away from routine annual TB testing for all healthcare personnel unless there is known exposure or ongoing transmission. The practical approach is baseline TB screening at hire, including an individual risk assessment and symptom screening, with annual or recurring testing depending on facility policy, state requirements, exposure risk, or setting. Documenting the baseline and any follow-up clearly is what keeps this area defensible during a survey.
Vaccines and Titers
Immunity is confirmed through documented vaccination or titers, and missing records are a frequent source of last-minute scrambling. Common items for senior living and skilled nursing staff include Hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, Tdap, seasonal influenza, and COVID-19 per current facility, federal, and state policy. Collecting vaccines and titers at onboarding, rather than chasing them down later, saves significant time and reduces gaps.
Physicals and Physical Abilities Testing
Direct-care work is physically demanding, and many roles call for a pre-employment physical exam along with physical abilities testing for lifting, transfers, and repositioning. Matching the exam to the actual demands of the role helps confirm that staff can do the job safely, which protects both the employee and the residents in their care.
Keeping Documentation Survey-Ready
Surveys reward organization. Centralized records, tracked expiration dates, and quick access turn survey prep into a routine task instead of an all-hands emergency. The Client Portal keeps clearances, results, and recurring requirements organized for HR teams and staff alike, so you always know who is current and who is due, and the Patient Portal makes scheduling easy for anyone who is missing a compliance testing requirement.
Clinic and On-Site Options
Clinic-based testing fits steady individual screening across Mobile Health’s 6,500+ clinic locations, with 77% of employees within 10 miles of a clinic. On-site services help with new-facility staffing, large cohorts, and multi-location groups. Comprehensive pre-employment screening returns results in an average of 1.9 business days.*
Download the Checklist
To make this easier to put into practice, download the Senior Living and Skilled Nursing Staff Compliance Checklist. It lays out hiring and ongoing requirements in one place so your team can track every step without rebuilding the list each time.
Contact Mobile Health to streamline employee screening across your facilities and keep compliance easier to manage.
*Based on internal Mobile Health data from owned and operated clinics.
