MDS Job Offer-Need Advice

nursediz · Dec 17, 2005

Thanks for all of your advice/support/ and knowledge....I spoke with the DOn and not only will I be doing the MDS/Careplans...but, they teamed me up with a nurse from dayshift ((whoo hoo)). Her and I get along very well and think alot a like..she worked 7a-7p and I worked 7p-7a...we relieved eachother at least twice a week so we know how the other works and thinks. So, that will be good. We were both relieved to find out we would be working together. She has about 6 more years exp on me in the nursing field. But, just as green as me when it comes to MDS. It will be the blind leading the blind for a little bit.

Right now we are auditing charts to see where the other MDS had left off. Found several areas that were behind that state hadn't tagged. From my understanding....they pulled 10 charts ((i could be wrong...rumor has it you know)) and within those 10 charts they found the tags. If they had pulled all...there would have been more b.c. we found careplans that hadn't been reviewed/updated in 6-12 months and MDS's that had only the 5th day and not the 14th/30th/etc.

the DON is thinking that we are only going to get a deskreview and is going to put in that the review be on "from here on out" instead of backpeddling. The facility had thier medicare funding cut...for how long, i am not sure. i am guessing until they review us again.

She (the DON) informed us that we would not be pulled to the floor and we would be hourly. She doesn't have much exp. in MDS, but, the ADON has a lot. So, the ADON is going to meet with us on Monday to show us what we need to knwo for right now. Then, corporate is sending in someone on Tuesday to do an all day inservice for us. Also, I was put in charge of finding a bootcamp that the 2 of us can go to and the DON and ADON are going to go too.

I think things are going to go very well. The LPN that is going to be doing the MDS with me is just like me. She is very strong willed and determined. I believe that once somebody 'shows me how to do this' then i can do it. What is also good is that the DON and ADON are new....they have only been there a few months and are also strong willed and ready to clean this facility up. So, it is going to be a major team effort.

:-D I really do appreciate all of you guys replying. You have helped me so much. This was actually my first post and I was amazed by how much input i recieved!

:thankya:

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Dec 19, 2005

the rn assessment coordinator is not certifying the accuracy of portions of the assessment that were completed by other health professionals.[/left]

i've been doing mds's for over 6 years and this statement always flabergasted me. i am an rn now, but did mds's for 5 1/2 years as an lpn and never understood what my rn partner learned in school that made her more proficient at checking to make sure all the little boxes were filled in! after expanding my own education - i still don't get it. in my humble opinion.. a good mds coordinator must be anal retentive (which we both are :rotfl:), need to be paid hourly, need to have don and admin that respect the position and don't pull you to the floor unless absolute emergency, and must have a partner, or at least a backup person, who you trust and respect. my partner and i are not "friends" outside of the facility - but i wouldn't trade her for anything. i am on vacation at the moment and i know when i go back everything will be smooth as silk - just like when i left. no backtracking for the week i was gone.

fluffwad · Dec 19, 2005

the rn assessment coordinator is not certifying the accuracy of portions of the assessment that were completed by other health professionals.
i've been doing mds's for over 6 years and this statement always flabergasted me. i am an rn now, but did mds's for 5 1/2 years as an lpn and never understood what my rn partner learned in school that made her more proficient at checking to make sure all the little boxes were filled in!

it's state thing, you know..............we all know that there are lpn's out there who are better nurses than a lot of rns you might meet.

but the coordinator is just vertifying that the form is complete.......if pt recorded bogus minutes, how would i know unless i watched everything they do all day and time it? and you know that if someone didnt have to sign that it was complete, there would be a mountain of mds's with one section blank ( my personal bane is section n from the activities dept.)

student60 · Dec 20, 2005

From my experience I can tell you NEVEr salary yourself. ALso, if you go to the CMS website, there is a great MDS section now with new info on RAPS.

former NH staff.... :)

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Dec 20, 2005

Thanks for all of your advice/support/ and knowledge....I spoke with the DOn and not only will I be doing the MDS/Careplans...but, they teamed me up with a nurse from dayshift ((whoo hoo)). Her and I get along very well and think alot a like..she worked 7a-7p and I worked 7p-7a...we relieved eachother at least twice a week so we know how the other works and thinks. So, that will be good. We were both relieved to find out we would be working together. She has about 6 more years exp on me in the nursing field. But, just as green as me when it comes to MDS. It will be the blind leading the blind for a little bit.
Right now we are auditing charts to see where the other MDS had left off. Found several areas that were behind that state hadn't tagged. From my understanding....they pulled 10 charts ((i could be wrong...rumor has it you know)) and within those 10 charts they found the tags. If they had pulled all...there would have been more b.c. we found careplans that hadn't been reviewed/updated in 6-12 months and MDS's that had only the 5th day and not the 14th/30th/etc.
the DON is thinking that we are only going to get a deskreview and is going to put in that the review be on "from here on out" instead of backpeddling. The facility had thier medicare funding cut...for how long, i am not sure. i am guessing until they review us again.
She (the DON) informed us that we would not be pulled to the floor and we would be hourly. She doesn't have much exp. in MDS, but, the ADON has a lot. So, the ADON is going to meet with us on Monday to show us what we need to knwo for right now. Then, corporate is sending in someone on Tuesday to do an all day inservice for us. Also, I was put in charge of finding a bootcamp that the 2 of us can go to and the DON and ADON are going to go too.
I think things are going to go very well. The LPN that is going to be doing the MDS with me is just like me. She is very strong willed and determined. I believe that once somebody 'shows me how to do this' then i can do it. What is also good is that the DON and ADON are new....they have only been there a few months and are also strong willed and ready to clean this facility up. So, it is going to be a major team effort.
:-D I really do appreciate all of you guys replying. You have helped me so much. This was actually my first post and I was amazed by how much input i recieved!
:thankya:

I'm pretty sure that if you've had your Medicare funding cut, you'll be getting more than a desk review. That's a serious thing. On the plan of correction you have to answer 4 questions...one is how are you going to correct the mistake. It's not enough to say that from "here on out" or from today forward. You MUST have a plan to actually correct the mistake and prevent it from happening again. I've been working on my facility's POC for a week...I am dreaming about tag numbers!!!! 157....165..... :uhoh3: :uhoh3: :confused:

glm777, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2006

Actually, if the RN is signing only as the RNC - she is only signing that the MDS is COMPLETE - not that it is accurate. If I had to review every MDS in my 176 bed facility before signing as the RNC I would have to KILL MYSELF! I do spot check some each week as an audit and do focus on falls and psych meds but that's about it. The folks signing that they completed each section are responsible for those sections - not the RNC.

nursediz · Jan 4, 2006

I'm pretty sure that if you've had your Medicare funding cut, you'll be getting more than a desk review. That's a serious thing. On the plan of correction you have to answer 4 questions...one is how are you going to correct the mistake. It's not enough to say that from "here on out" or from today forward. You MUST have a plan to actually correct the mistake and prevent it from happening again. I've been working on my facility's POC for a week...I am dreaming about tag numbers!!!! 157....165..... :uhoh3:

You are right. they finished and submitted their POC last week. Some of the corrections were of course replacing the old MDS coordinators with us, a tickler system, dry erase board with list of Medicare MDS due, MDS audits by the ADON, and others.....ya, i am sure they were dreaming of tag #s too...:-P

Things are going really well. i have caught up all the past due MDS' for Medicaid and private pay. What type of program do you all use for putting in ur assessments? we use Americana. Not sure if that is a universal program or what....had lots of problems with it today :uhoh21:

fluffwad · Jan 5, 2006

Never heard of Americana...............Accumax is one of the most common MDS programs. MDI is also common.

kwilson954 · Jan 20, 2006

I realize this is an old posting, but in case you're still interested in further training go to the National Association of Subacute and Postacute Care website www.NASPAC.com . They offer certification courses that are really good. I've been certified for 5 years and done MDS's for 10. I highly recommend the certification program.

silverpilot03 · Jan 21, 2006

Don't mean to be "anal" (but I guess that's why I'm also an MDS-PPS RN Coordinator), the correct link is: www.naspac.net.