mds productivity

That is a tough question with alot of variables. Alot depends on how well you know the patient and how good of job you do. How many disciplines actually do the MDS. How many computer terminals are available...etc etc. I require my MDS people to do a quick chart audit for necessary items as they review the chart. A good MDS person will. If items are not in place, it could take a very long time.

A MDS person is the care coordinator and needs to let the IDT know if something is missing. It's hard to look at the whole picture if items are not in place. (ie risk assessments, AIM's, guardianship etc.) the list goes on.

A comprehensive assessment with RAP's of course takes longer - if the resident is high acuity it could take probably about 3 hours without interruptions and if the patient/family/staff cooperates. A good RAP is lengthy because it needs to tell the patients story...past present and future in conjunction with the plan of care.

My advice to you is get your feet wet, do a comprehensive and a quarterly. It's hard to explain to someone that hasn't done it.

Good luck, I think there will be some interesting responses on this thread.

I have been the MDS cord for 2+years. I have learned to stream line, but it is true it does vary. Espically if your resident has mental issues, behavior, mood, pain, falls etc. On a complexed resident it can take me longer, if not interrupted of course. On an average for a complexed resident, up to 8 hrs. I use to think that that is too long of a time, but when state came in and read my raps the loved them. Other MDs cord w/more experience than myself are able to it in a shorter time. These MDS cord that I have asked the same question to on this web site. Talino is a great source of info as well as some others that I can't recal their names. Tex

I have been an MDS coordinator for a few years too. As is with the rest, the length of time required to complete depends totally on how much you know about the person, how long you have been doing MDS's, how well you know your computer program, and what information is documented in the record. The workload you have for the day also plays into how long it takes too. The more you have to look for something, the longer it takes. I average 2-3 hours on an initial assessment for new residents. Have taken as long as 8 for a difficult resident. You have to develope your own style. Good Luck!!!

I was MDS coordinator for a year and a half. Unless you have all disciplines working together, it will take days. The team I worked with would change things on their own if they didn't like what I had put. THE DON didn't help matters, when I she didn't know the anything about the residents. Just so happens in January she had to take over the Medicare MDS position and then at the February of this year, according to our Medicare Consultant she lost the facity over 2,000 dollars. So as I say, unless all disciplines work together and forget about how much money the facility can make, get to know your residents' in order to do the MDS correctly. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wow...variables are definitely involved...I agree you cannot explain them to anyone...the best way to know is to do one or 20!...On average it takes me maybe 2 hours-3 hours on residents that I know well....and anywhere from 4-8 hours on new or difficult ones...plus add in getting pulled and transmittal and coach submissions that we do also...care conferences...PPS meetings..ITM meetings...casemix...scheduling..keeping up with the residents and changes that occur...whew...keeping ahead is the MOST stressful part about this job...just when you think that you've caught up one little variance occurs and you're behind again...plus you want to make sure that the resident is getting what they need and the chart is appropriate, proper diagnoses, labs that need ordered, med review, etc.....it is a daily challenge.

Aye yeeee! I found that the best way to keep the MDS coordinator/data entry Nurse from strangling me was to bake her cookies and slide faked Telephone Order slips (signed by the Doctor, naturally) under her door. Then she would graciously approach me with my boxes mistakenly checked (like the quad I had marked as ambulting > 100 ft per day, oops) with a smile. Of course the fake telophone orders ("may euthanize at nurses discrection". "put the lime in the coke and then you drink a bowl up"...etc) brought her some good laughs in the midst of the workday migraine. Oh, yes.....it was a psycho floor. Of the highest degree, complete with daily chaos, laaaazy CNA's, mental health workers who brought their egos to every conflict they encountered....loud, dirty, dangerous.....