MDS Coordinator sub-forum

Hey Mods... just wanted to say thanks for the new sub-forum. Nice to be recognized as a speciality of our own. Thanks again

Ditto!!!!!!!!!!!!

yea, now what can we discuss. HMMM?

Hello, may I ask the first question??..I've just started a new position as MDS Coordinator in a LTC facility for Medically Fragile Children...of course this has it's own set of challenges (trying to adapt adult assessment tools for children!!)...just wondering, when recording minutes for Respiratory, does anyone have a user friendly minutes flow sheet my RT can use? I'm used to LTC and the nurses providing the treatment..we have an RT for the floor for 16hrs as well as treatments, they do frequent assessment of ventilator/trach etc..which may only take 1-2 min each time, I would like to capture these minutes as initally we will have RT 7 days/wk..any advice??

Is it possible you can have them document the number of minutes in the MAR or TAR underneath their signature.

Oh by the way, remember they should count the minutes they use before and after the treatment is givien to determine need and it effectiveness i.e. lung sounds, pulse ox measurements, etc. This usually equals about 15 minutes per treatment. But they must document it for you to use it.

Here's a question for you all----

Do you incorporate any other assessments into your MDS process? At our facility we also do a "meeting report" that touches on the sections of the MDS that are of interest to the family members attending the meeting. We also assess and document urinary incontinence, fall risk, behavior, elopement risk, check ears, check dental, depression assessment and pain assessment.

We do this for all of our residents, medicaid and medicare for their MDS assessments that are due. We tend to chart by exception for the long term residents. By incorporating all of this information into the quarterly assessment we are taking an all around look at every resident at least every 3 months (of course more often if there is something going on with them).

I'm lucky if I can get one total assessment completed per day in addition to supervision. My partner is able to get 2, sometimes 3 completed in a day in addition to supervision. Of course, RAPs on annual assessments are another story!

Just wondering - What do you all do?

I HAVE BEEN AN R.N. FOR TWENTY EIGHT YEARS and I have done all types of nursingincluding teaching, management and consulting in most clinical areas...... including PSYCH, HOME HEALTH, AND as a consultant in a LTC with responsibility for advising the DON, DDS, and the MDS COORDINATOR. I HAVE HAD MDS 2.0 training.

NOW I FIND MYSELF AS A PATIENT.I HAD TO HAVE A HIP REPLACEMENT IN DEC., 2006 (as a result of trauma in an auto accident). As an untoward and totally unpredicted effect, I suffered a stroke. I am struggling with aspects of my physical rehab and am in a wheelchair most of the time.

I am looking :uhoh21: for a position as either MDS coordinator, TELEPHONE ADVICE NURSE, or other position that I could do from wheelchair or from home.

any suggestions ??

Is there a simple quick pneumonic or gimic to remember rug calculations? If you have any please share.

Is there a simple quick pneumonic or gimic to remember rug calculations? If you have any please share.

What exactly are you looking for. I have a list I printed from the cms website. Each time the rates change its a new list.

Do you have the list to referrence?

Callinurse

Hello to all. I am thinking of changing career path in 1-2 years. I have been working as a medicare RN auditor. I am looking towards a geriatric specialty. What facilities can I work , what is an MDS , the patient ratio in these facilities? Should I get a geriatric cert or go ahead w/ the gerontology masters? Help please ?

I am an old nurse, but new MDS Coordinator. I have a question about the pain section. Sorry, I don't know the exact section, but it has No pain, Daily pain or pain less than daily and goes on to mild, moderate etc. I have been coding it as daily pain if a resident is on a scheduled pain med, and mild or moderate depending on whether it was a med like Tylenol or a narcotic. My corporate advisor recently came and she thought it was only for breakthrough pain. That would put somone with no pain at all and no meds in the same class as one getting Lortab TID. Is she right about this? She also said she could be wrong and to bring it up at our next corporate meeting. I've read the manual and didn't find anything like that.

Thanks