Updating Care Plans

[MDSlady]

I am the MDS Coordinator in my building of 150 residents, and also an LPN.

I have given in-services on how to update care plans, and nobody listens to me!!!!

I have been told that most of our nurses are not going to update careplans because "they feel it is my job" and not theirs. I have the DNS breathing down my back because I cannot update careplans for 150 people by myself. It has gotten so bad that if somebody falls on a Friday night and I come to work on a Monday morning they still have not update a careplan at all with any intervention.

I have told my DNS that I cannot do this anymore, I also attend all the weight, pressure, wound, RCC , Quarterly assessment audits, and walking rounds for my building. I also do all the annual and quarterly assessments for my building. I have an RN that works only 16 hours, she only does the MED A MDS's but it is not enough to help me do everything that I have to do.

I love my job, but am severly stressed,,,,,,any suggestions.!!!!!

[Geeg]

I agree, one person can't update 150 careplans. However, the bedside nurses are most likely swamped with work, also. Can you and the other nurse get together and talk about it.? It seems like you all need more help. I am sure that management will deny it, and that they would prefer to triumph over the nurses in the usual fashion: Divide and Conquer. Good luck.

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

I agree you can't possibly do all of this. As a suggestion, have you tried any generic type careplans that the nurses can just grab and add. Like a notebook at the desk w/ a pages for falls, impaired air exchange r/t URI, UTI, etc. Just take what you need out of the book, add resident's name and place in the chart. It has helped a little at my building.

[Marylou1102]

At my last facility, when the nurse noted an order she automatically did the care plan. It was part of noting the order and expected of her. Here at my current facility, that job falls on the night nurse. Every night she goes through the orders for the day and care plans them.

[Dragonsblood2005]

I know how you feel. I worked in MDS too. My best advice is to go to your Director of Nursing and ask for some help maybe another LPN to help with the assessments and careplans, if all else fails ask for some one to do data imput to free up some of your time.

[nratchet]

I work in a 173 bed facility and have the same problem. Only the wound care nurse will update the care place for their treatments. However, we do have a part-time person that does the updates as well as any mail-outs to families that is required of our department. Maybe your bosses would agree to something like that as a compromise. :)

[marycd]

I will listen to you about updating care plans.

having been out of nursing for 8 years, i am a bit behind the curve.

what can you help me with. Mary In Mo [email protected] is my email at home. THANKS

[marycd]

I NEEDto brush up with updating, can you help? I work the 3rd shift at LTC facility.

MaryD

[sarab79]

I'm an MDS/Care Planning nurse in a 197 bed facility..Each Monday I have a stack of green slips from orders plus any incidents/accidents that happened over the weekend...Our software for MDS is very user friendly..I just go in there..add my care plans and it's done for the day..I update all care plans with my quarterly assessments..It took a lot of planning and orginizing, but I can do it without much hassle anymore.

[cadburypam]

why would you be responsible for updating all the careplans? Are you on the unit providing care? I would stand my ground and point out to my Director that the nurses are the ones who are 1. noting the physician orders, 2. seeing the resident daily, 3. hearing the aides about changes that the resident's are having and 4. that you have enough work to do than to update all those care plans.

I have a presentation I give to facilities regarding care planning issues and how the MDS coordinator can loose the monkey on her/his back with regards to the care planning issue. We as MDS coordinators give "birth" to the care plans for our residents from the RAPs and from observations with our comprehensive assessments, it is the responsibility of the nursing staff to "raise and nuture" the care plan until the time comes for us to "celebrate" the care plans "birthday" with an annual assessment or significant change assessment.