After 2 months..what do you think of the MDS 3.0?

Specialties MDS

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Now that we've all had a chance to get used to the 3.0 what do ya'll think? I hate the bulk of the whole thing and our corporation's software program is sooooo slow it's painful most days, but.. surprisingly I think I like the 3.0.

For the most part, our interviews are going fairly well. We've had several residents that I didn't think would even be able to participate with interviews do surprisingly well at at least making an attempt to follow along and answer questions (even if their answers were off the wall).

For the most part the questions themselves are more relevant and we've lost some of the "dumb" questions...I mean who really cares if someone took 14 vs 15 meds in a 7 day period.

What do you all think?

Specializes in Long-term care.
:banghead: I am sooo frustrated with MDS 3.0!!! At first glace I thought it would be simpler. Now it's just a pain in the a**. I work EVERYDAY, even from home and sometimes into the wee hours of the night and still cannot get caught up. Some of the sections are just redundant and I agree with everyone on the stupidity of the D/C the way they are set up now...what is the point. We have a patient on Med A who is in and out constantly...my co-worker just counted 19 assessments on him since December!!! 1/2 of those were D/C's...a waste of time and paper.

I agree that 3.0 has been nothing but a pain. I have not found anything more beneficial from the information gathered than what we would have had with 2.0. As the coordinator I am totally burnt out and work from home every day to stay caught up. I have also had about 20 hrs overtime every pay since Oct. We also switched software companies in Sept so it has been a double nightmare.

Can't wait to take a vacation and relax....oh yeah, I forgot....who has time for vacation LOL :uhoh3:

The good news is that CMS has said they are reviewing the discharge assessment due to the number of complaints. They are giving serious thought to decreasing the number of required items. They also mentioned the complaints about the unnecessary frequency of interviews and are looking at that as well. Maybe we'll see a change soon.

Specializes in Long term care.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for all of us dealing with the 3.0 every day. It would be wonderful to have CMS change the discharge assessment process and reduce the interview needs for Medicare residents - so they aren't answering the same questions @ the 5day, 14day and again @ 30day. They really do look at us like were crazy when we come back and ask the same thing again.

Sure hope they have an MDS person familiar with 3.0 when and if they make changes !

My biggest complaint is the vast amount of paper used for the eval's. I'm considering making an investment in a paper company. You would think that with all the planning done for this change, someone would have noticed how much paper would be needed.

Specializes in Long-term care, home health.
3.0 has resulted in MAJOR changes in our facility, and I am so disheartened. We are a facility of over 180 beds. Prior to 3.0, we had 4 RNACs- 1 full time, and 3 at 32 hours a week. I had been an RNAC for 10 years. We were responsible for the entire RAI process including updating the care plans, and the system worked well and we had great state and UMR surveys. Corporate, despite the increased work burden, cut us to 2 RNACs- one full time and one 32 hours. I lost my RNAC position and am now an "assessment nurse". This change has been so difficult for me. I have gone from a specialized position that I did quite well, to a fragmented position that consists of what feels like cast-off duties that other nurses used to do, like weekly diabetic foot assessments and all the admissions (FUN when 4 come in one day). I'm responsible for a few sections of the MDS- I'm quite tired of looking at teeth and dentures! I have 98 residents on caseload now and I have a hard time keeping up with what is going on with all of them. My heart is broken because everything is so fragmented between the disciplines. The care plans I was so proud of are now in a shambles. I badly miss the old process, but I must "embrace change". Sigh. I hope it gets better in time (though it hasn't after 3 1/2 months).

Well, my attempt to embrace change was not successful after a nearly 6 month try. I've been admittedly unhappy as an "assessment nurse", but good fortune came along in the form of an opportunity as an MDS coordinator at a much smaller facility than I've worked at. With the craziness of 3.0, this facility has ADDED an MDS position, so I will be the assistant at 32 hours a week. I greatly look forward to going back to a position I enjoyed. My anxiety is in that I now am not savvy in the entire 3.0 process, as I've only been responsible for fragments of it. So I have a lot of knowledge to regain. Wish me luck! I start next week!

Specializes in MDS/Office.

Good Luck Catnip, Hope your new job works out for you!!

When will Companies/Facilities learn? :(

Specializes in MDS Coordinator.

I just keep thinking - Could they have possibly made this MDS any more confusing?? For us and for the resident. I consider myself an intelligent person, I've been an MDS Coordinator for 20 years, I graduated top of my class and I have to have the RAI manual glued to my hip with every MDS I do! I actually had to copy the manual for section C and tape it to my computer because I still can't GET it. Code this for that but only if this is that but isn't this and that other thing isn't that. Then, code the other thing this way but only if it's the other way first and last and.... at this point all I'm seeing is "blah, blah, blah"! Why does it have to be so darn complicated!!? And I don't know about the rest of you but my building has many, many dementia residents. They may be coded as "sometimes understood" because they can ask to go to bed or tell us what they'd like for a snack...but start asking them 20 questions about how important things are and forget it. Their eyes glaze over - I've had residents actually fall asleep while doing the interview. Most of them cannot answer those questions! Those questions are a far stretch from "do you want oreos or chocolate chip cookies tonight". I've heard more swear words from cute little old ladies who are sick and tired of answering "these stupid questions" than I ever thought possible!

In case you can't tell, I still HATE 3.0. The only reason I'm sticking it out out is I've been in it so long and my back can't take working the floor at this point in my life.

Specializes in Assessment coordinator.

Good luck. It looks like I may get some help in the form of my company is hiring an MDS/CM manager for my department to "take the department to another level." Yes, of course, hiring someone to manage me and ask me for statistical reports will help me a great deal. The 84 line job description for the position includes only 3 tasks that I am not already doing. Good, I would love to just do MDS's and let this manager person do all that, but I am thinking that ain't what's gonna happen. Wish me luck.

Specializes in Assessment coordinator.

Why isn't social services doing section C?

Specializes in MDS/Office.
Good luck. It looks like I may get some help in the form of my company is hiring an MDS/CM manager for my department to "take the department to another level." Yes, of course, hiring someone to manage me and ask me for statistical reports will help me a great deal. The 84 line job description for the position includes only 3 tasks that I am not already doing. Good, I would love to just do MDS's and let this manager person do all that, but I am thinking that ain't what's gonna happen. Wish me luck.

Yes, sounds like this "MDS/CM Manager" Position will be nothing more than another Micro Manager.

Probably will have more dumped on you.....

More "Delegating".....

More Meetings.....

More Reports.....

More of Corporate down your throat.....

More Stress.....

More Headaches.....

You are so right, this Manager will "take the department to another level."

Good Luck!! Keep us posted.

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