LPN as MDS coordinator

Moved to forum with wider audience.

hello nursejane
don't have an answer to your question but i am looking for the same info if you get any info could you pass it on would greatly appreciate it . i am new to the forum here. have been an mds coordinator for 5yrs and love it. hope you find some info. thanks
nurselpn53

i would just like to know where u guys found this great job?

OMG!! - you either have gray hair or you don't have to attend all the stupid meetings that take up so much of my time. This sounds impossible.

Hello everyone:

I am new to allnurses. I am going to become certified for MDS at a 2-day seminar in Boston. It is through NRAI (National Resident Assessment Institute). It costs $429. Has anyone ever heard of this institute. Has anyone gotten certified through them? Is there a demand for MDS Coordinators? I want to pick the right field. I have been doing long-term care for 3 years now as a LPN and find it is too physical and exhausting for me, so I would like to do more administrative type of work. I was a medical transcriptionist for years and a medical secretary before that, so I think I would catch on well to it. Currently, I am unemployed and looking into to this, so I want to make the right decision. I appreciate your input.

The MDS coordinator is the one who makes sure that the MDS is completed. Anyone can do the work if they have the knowledge & assessment skills. The skills include working the Raps. Some facilities divide the Raps up between the different disciplines, but that can be very difficult to do as the problems are interdisciplinary & the care plans are as well. I divide the MDS between the disciplines, They provide the information to me by the ARD date. I do the MDS & Rap summaries identifing the problems, the causes, the risks, & needed referrals,. I write a short course of action & write the care plans. If I don't feel I understand why something is marked on the MDS, I go to that person & find out. They will usually write a short note or write it on the care plan. The other disciplines have given me goals & approaches for each problem area. at the care plan meeting we pare down the plan of care to be realistic. we keep it short simple & easy so everyone understands what is expected. What ever I have included in the Rap summary goes on the care plan as well. In regards to quarterly assessments. Divide the sections up, each discipline makes a note in their section of the chart. I the write a Quarterly progress note addressing each goal of the care plan, i.e. Geri will continue to maintain the ability to walk daily thru the next 3 months, The progress notes would be Geri is walking to & from all destinations every day with the assist of staff. Occasionally will c/o pain that is resolved readily with current prn pain meds (see MAR). I also include any new goals/potential such as has stated she wants to be able to toilet herself, but is not able to manipulate her clothing. Will start a restorative toileting program & restorative dressing program to increase self performance. I then add it to the care plan as Geri will improve ability to toilet self daily thru the next 3 months. Have OT screen for a program, & assign the restorative CNA to work with her. if she does not participate, we discontinue the goal, but we did try to improve. If she improves, we advance the goal. Our restorative CNA trains the Staff CNA's the restorative tech"s. You may be surprised at what the CNA's are really capable of doing. I have one that could potty train a horse with brain damage. DAmn I'm long winded aren't I?

I know I said I was going to attend a 2-day MDS seminar, but I just landed a job as a peer reviewer and will be starting on Monday. I'm excited as this is an opportunity to do nursing administrative type of work. I don't have to do patient care anymore. I loved being around the patients, but there was too much work in long-term care as a LPN. Thanks for your information though. I appreciated it.

pLucy49

hi just wondering what is a peer reviewer???

Hi: A peer reviewer does not have anything to do with MDS. I had a job offer recently working as a Quality Assurance Nurse for Medical Evaluation Specialist Solutions. A peer reviewer is one doctor called an Attending Provider who asks for another doctor's opinion so that the claimant's insurance company will cover their medical services. The doctor that is the peer reviewer will give his opinion about whether or not something is medically necessary and appropriate, and then it will be approved for payment.

I am doing this now and I love it. I don't see any patients I just work as a Quality Assurance nurse. I set up the final report for the insurance company and the doctors. I work full time. I just wish it paid a little better, but the atmosphere is great because it is like a big office area and I have my own desk and computer, and cubicle.

Paula