MDS Cordinator

BahaMamamaRN · Mar 7, 2008

Tara, I am sorry to hear this tyr to hang in there read the manual , most importantly get otknow the patients go arouund on the unit when the patients are being bathed and eating so that yo ucan see the level of assistance they are requiring. Once oyu get to know the residents it will be a breeze sort of. Don't give up so soon. Wait until the perso ncomes down to explain it to you and see if you feel better about the job. Keep me posted

Talino · Mar 7, 2008

on the air in a corporate jet, the pilot went into cardiac arrest and dies. aboard, the company president approaches his most intelligent accountant and said, "here's the airplane pilot's manual, read it, and land the plane! i'll send you to a formal flight training when we get down."

not to sound pessimistic nor undermine your ability, your administration doesn't seem to have a grasp what the implications are when this federally mandated tool is screwed. they should have trained you the moment the former mds coord. handed her 2-week notice. or hired an expert to formally train you in the interim. on the job training is the best mds learning foundation.

you're right about the webinar on mds survival tips. the class benefits those with ample mds know-how. a 3-day seminar, after completion, will award you with titles such as credentialed or certified assessment coordinator, but they don't guarantee you instant expertise in the field.

with the mere one day training they are providing you, befriend the trainor. and request you call him/her for any help. i strongly suggest joining a free discussion group to post problems or concerns that come up. and just like bahamamama suggested, read the manual. a dilapidated manual is owned by a very knowledgeable mds coordinator.

mds can be learned but time is of utmost importance. your determination is your biggest asset. good luck!

rukiddingme · Mar 8, 2008

The lady from the other facility showed-up today, but they wanted her to 'play MDS catch-up' since there were 8 due/overdue - so she didn't have time to do any training with me. I took a blank MDS & tried to fill-in the parts that I've been told I'm responsible for - and I found most of the information needed to fill it it - plus I found there was info from the hospital missing, and her Dialysis communication sheets. I do know that I don't quite understand how they come up with the ARD - or whom decides when it is.

I had the MDS regional manager call me & apologize for the lack of training, and swears she's going to come either Monday or Tuesday of this next week, and spend time going over the MDS process with me. :bugeyes: Tara

nratchet · Mar 10, 2008

The ARD date is determined by date of admission or previous assessment.

nratchet · Mar 10, 2008

Replying to GerinurseTara (continuation from above reply. hit wrong reply button so had to improvise.)

The ARD date is determined by date of admission or previous assessment.

For example.

New Admission: Observation= day 1-7

RB2= day 10

VB2= day 14

Observation starts from day of admission.

Annual or Quarterly.

89-92 days from previous assessment.

i.e. Previous Annual or Quarterly was December 13 (RB2)

the next assessment will be March and 89 to 92 days

from December's RB2.

Hope this helps a little.

Most MDS programs do have a section where you can print out an MDS schedule letting you know when your assessments are due.

Do you know what program your facility uses?

rukiddingme · Mar 10, 2008

When I hit the short-cut, the MDS program says "LTC Solutions, Inc".

I really haven't played around with the program too much, cause I didn't want to cause any problems (mess up anything) - and I haven't had anyone show me what it does yet, so I'm not sure of it's capabilities.

I do see there is a 'warnings' tab when I get into it - and I opened that, and it listed the things that need to be done. Hopefully this lady coming today will show me some things today, and explain alot. Thanks, Tara

nratchet · Mar 10, 2008

That's the program we use. It should have a reports tab which will give you a MDS schedule choice to click on. Choose it and it will give you a shcedule for assessment due dates.

rukiddingme · Mar 13, 2008

Well, I've had 2 full days of 'training' from the MDS specialist within my company. I can't believe how laid back she is about everything -- which I guess is good, because it shows she has patients & doesn't expect me to 'know it all' right away.

Here's a few things that I've found out thus far: I am the only person in the building with the MDS program in my computer - so everyone that has a section of information to gather for the MDS, gives their info to me, and I do all the entering. But, I've been told their going to try and change this, to make it easier on everyone, and use less paper.

My company is having us all make copies of the 'proof of information' for everything we use for the MDS - documentation showing how we got the info that we're putting on the MDS - and keep those copies with a copy of the MDS (for when surveyors, etc come in)

This facility really has problems with organization, and job duties.

No one has been updating the face sheets in the charts when there are changes in payment, or a living will, or POAHC is added.

There's no receptionist for the place, and no 'unit clerk' to take care of the nurse's station - I suppose I'm just spoiled from the last place I worked, but this place needs one badly. The only charts in any type of order are the Medicare ones -- the rest are just put into other areas behind the desk, in no certain order.

Thanks for letting me vent!! Tara

RN 4 Life · Mar 13, 2008

well, things haven't been going so great @ the new job -- it figures. 1. the person that was doing the mds coord. job was gone when i went in for my first day - and no one else is doing the mds's. 2. there isn't anyone there who can teach me anything about the mds program - but the company is sending someone (tomorrow) from another facility, that is supposed to give me a day's training. 3. the one chart that i pulled to 'look at' and try to do a 'mock' run of an mds was a mess - seems someone had dropped it, and just threw things back in it. the weight/vital sheet hasn't been filled in since december. 4. they signed me up for a webinar, and it was "mds survival tips", which didn't make much sense to me, because i have almost no idea about the whole mds process.
i had a chat with the administrator, whom was supportive with my complaints/concerns - and said if this position doesn't work out, they can always make me a floor nurse.
thanks for letting me vent!! tara

just take one day at a time. there are rewards and there are stressors to being an mds coordinator. as you become familiar with your role and what you need you develop ways to make your job easier and then.....you will begin to see some of the rewards....one thing is certain...i beleive one of the qualifications to be a successful mds coordinator is you have to be detail oriented, be able to plan, and multi-task. evaluate your work habits and see where you can set up some routines for your self. let me know if you need any help and i can tell you what i did when i was new.