Mds...

MDS nurses do assessments for reimbursement from Medicaid et Medicare. It is how LTC facilities get payment for services rendered. They are done quarterly for non-skilled patients. Then for skilled patients you have to follow a specific schedule. You gain experience by getting a job in that position. I got my position because I did it temporary while one of our MDS nurses went on maternity leave. Then when she left, I was given the option to take the job since I had previous experience. So I took the position.

So is it an actual physical assessment? A functional assessment? Or do you just go by data and paperwork? Is this assisted living people? ECF/SNF (whichever you call it) people? Is it every resident? Can you walk me through an assessment? This is very interesting to me since I have never worked LTC...I never really thought about the people who go there for short term rehab and stuff...

So is it an actual physical assessment? A functional assessment? Or do you just go by data and paperwork? Is this assisted living people? ECF/SNF (whichever you call it) people? Is it every resident? Can you walk me through an assessment? This is very interesting to me since I have never worked LTC...I never really thought about the people who go there for short term rehab and stuff...

Well, I did MDS for about 5 years in a LTC (SNF). It does include an actual, physical assessment by the MDS nurse, review of nursing, PT, OT, ST, notes and minutes of therapy, review of docs orders, notes, etc. to determine function of res., activity min., how many doc order changes in the assessment period, O2 requirements, all sorts of stuff. From that assessment, RAPS are "triggered". RAPS stands for resident assessment protocols. These are possible problems identified from the MDS, such as risk for pressure ulcers, risk for falls, etc. You work these out, and then make your care plan from them. The actual MDS assessment determines the amount of the SNF payment from medicare/medicaid for a period after the assessment. In essence, whatever you "capture" on the assessment, the facility is paid for, such as PT minutes, pressure sore tx, O2 therapy, IV abts, etc. The more stuff the res gets, the more money the SNF is paid by medicare/caid. So a good MDS nurse, that knows what they are doing, and can time and do the assessment appropriately, will really help the SNF receive the highest payment they are entitled to.

Medicare assessment for new res. are usually done at 5 days, 14 days, 30, 60, and 90 days, and then a change assessment at 100 days when the res uses all their medicare benefits and changes to medicaid, usually. Medicaid MDS usually done every 90 days and with significant changes in res condition.

Gosh, that got long, hope this helps!

Yuck! That sounds awful! It sounds very important, but I'm glad I'm not the one who has to worry about it! Thanks for your replies!