How long does it take to learn your job

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Specializes in acute rehab, med surg, LTC, peds, home c.

I just interviewed for a MDS coordinator position for a LTC facility and I was confident going in but was a little put off by the interview. The administrator, who seemed like a very nice older gent, said I would be trained by a consultant that they would have to pay extra for so basically I would have to hurry up and learn the job in 1 month. The lady I am replacing is leaving before I can start so she wont be able to show me the ropes. I have done rehab & LTC but I never did MDSs on a regular basis. Since I would be the money maker for the facility I would be scrutinized continuously. It sounded very stressful to me and I was just wondering if 1 month is realistic and doable.

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Specializes in ER CCU MICU SICU LTC/SNF.

One month is doable.

Realism is a toss up. I will start with the obvious questions ---

  • How much do you know about MDS?
  • How many hours a day will the consultant train you, days/wk?
  • After a day's training, how much time are you alloted to read the RAI Manual, go through a free online training?
  • Since you don't have a current MDS coordinator, will you and the consultant also be doing the active MDS assm'ts in the interim?

... and the lists can build up when your Allnurses MDS peers chime in.

In the meantime, take an RAI Manual home. Browse through Chapters 2, 3, and 6. If you'll be involved in care planning, include Chapter 4 and Appendix C. If you'll be responsible in submitting the MDS assm'ts, might as well look through Chapter 5.

There are many helful insights here.

Albeit, even after years of experience, a seasoned MDS nurse will continue to learn. Good luck!

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Join AANAC. Then join the discussion board there. Very informative. My company pays for my membership. It's well worth it. I've learned over half of what I know from reading the questions and answers from the discussion group. I have asked many questions there also, and always get answers. Attend some Medicare bootcamps, seminars, inservices: not only do they discuss Medicare MDS, but how to do a regular MDS and care plans.

I've been the MDS/CP Coordinator for 4 years now and I'm always learning. The hardest part (to me) is learning how to code the ADLs (and then teaching the CNAs how to code the ADLs). It took me about a year to learn the coding for ADLs without having to refer to the RAI Manual.

I love this job and I don't see myself doing anything else. Good luck!

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Specializes in acute rehab, med surg, LTC, peds, home c.
One month is doable.

Realism is a toss up. I will start with the obvious questions ---

  • How much do you know about MDS? I know it stands for minimum data set and I had done a couple way back when I worked in LTC
  • How many hours a day will the consultant train you, days/wk? He didn't say, I should have asked.
  • After a day's training, how much time are you alloted to read the RAI Manual, go through a free online training? I didn't know a manual existed. Thanks, I will look into it.
  • Since you don't have a current MDS coordinator, will you and the consultant also be doing the active MDS assm'ts in the interim? I guess so?

... and the lists can build up when your Allnurses MDS peers chime in.

In the meantime, take an RAI Manual home. Browse through Chapters 2, 3, and 6. If you'll be involved in care planning, include Chapter 4 and Appendix C. If you'll be responsible in submitting the MDS assm'ts, might as well look through Chapter 5. I must get my hands on one of these.

There are many helful insights here. Thanks for the link.

Albeit, even after years of experience, a seasoned MDS nurse will continue to learn. Good luck!

Thanks for all the good info.

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I am an LVN and I have been an MDS coordinator assistant for a little over a year now. When I was being interviewed for my position I specifically told the Administrator and the Corporate hiring manager that I wanted to get MDS training from somewhere so that I wouldn't be thrown out in with the wolves because I have heard so many horror stories about LVN going into MDS and being fired for not doing well. I was told I would get the training but after a year it never happened. My boss (the MDS coordinator) is extremely knowledgeable and she was able to teach me a lot BUT a year later the lady from corporate emails me an MDS certification test. It is open book and when I took it I had failed (partially because I rushed through it thinking I would go through it as a pretest to see what it was all about) NOW I am being watched by everyone. OK...sorry I just wanted to vent hahahah

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Specializes in Assessment coordinator.

There's a big difference between learning how to do an MDS, and knowing the job of the MDS coordinator. Take a job doing MDS's and get really good at it. (Two years or 200 MDS's, whichever comes first) then think about becoming an MDS coordinator. Setting dates and having IDT meetings, herding cats (getting signatures, etc.) is a lot different than the bliss that comes with doing an MDS. i am serious, by the way, I love doing MDS's, but I am not so fond of most of the rest of the job.

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Specializes in MDS.

I totally agree with Susan. One month is no way near doable. I manage 70 MDS Coordinators and we (my team-mates and I) feel it takes at least 2 years to really know the job. We aren't even close to being done with orientation in one month. Good luck.

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