New Male RN wanting A supervising job

shodobe · Dec 6, 2008

It seems that you don't have enough experience in some ways. Curious, why do you want to be a medicare coordinator or MDS? Are these actual patient contact positions or will you be working in an office away from the patients just looking at their charts making decisions?

patwil73 · Dec 7, 2008

Hey guys,
I'm a new RN in KY. was licensed June 20th this year! I am so happy.
I am rather young. I'll be turning 23 December 12th. I have been working in a nursing home since I graduated four years ago as a CNA, and as an RN in the same home for 6 months now.
I would really like to get a job as an MDS or medicare coordinator. how much longer, or more experience, do you think it will take for me to get a job like that? I have already seen and done a lot and think i'm prepared for the undertaking, but what do you guys think?
thanks!

It might be possible to get such a job quickly depending on how desperate the facility is - however, judging strictly on your length of time as an RN, I think more training would be advisable. You have to be able to evaluate patients on how much care they truly need in multiple disciplines. During your first year or so almost all RN's I know (myself included) were just struggling to understand the basics of what our patients needed right then. With more experience you will be quicker to understand and assess the level of care a patient needs versus having to struggle to justify everything you think they might need.

One thing that might help is reviewing your patients chart. In each discipline their will be orders for "whatever they need" such as tube feeding or dysphagia diet, PT 2, 3, 4 or daily, etc. Try to understand why your patient has been ordered that - is it reasonable? Is it too much or too little? What objective criteria can you point out that would necessitate a change?

If you then find something that should change bring it to your charge nurse and see if you can discuss it with the coordinator where you work about getting it changed. Doing this will provide good hands on experience that you can bring to the interview table.

Hope this helps

Pat

James_Adam · Dec 7, 2008

Thanks for your input pat. Mostly, i think the reason i want such a position is burnout. My medpass is horribe, literally a medpass that shoulld be given to 2 or 3 nurses. i have complained to administration many times but they do 'nt do anytihng about it. and i am working so much overtime and days off just because we are understaffed andi am qucklt becoming burnt out because of all the stress, so maybe in some way i tink being a coordinatory would be less stress. i know that job in itself is horrible enough, but i can garantee isn't nothing like whati have to put up with passing meds plus the job duties of severao other administrators.

i wish they wouls give me an opportunity to update care plans to get an idea of what's it's like. maybe it's my lack of experience, i dn't know. but i've been nurse fo -r 6 months andi am already job hunting.

anyone have anyother advice to share?

thanks

patwil73 · Dec 7, 2008

Unfortunately burnout is common in LTC. One good healthcare reform would be patient ratio limits in LTC. I am truly astounded that people can make it in LTC (I lasted only 3 months). However the stress of a supervisory position is very tangible - you literally can have people yelling at you every day or it can be very easy as long as you get the work done (which if salary can be drug out for a long time).

I would suggest looking at an acute care setting. Get some experience on a med-surg floor since your interest is in coordination. You will find the more discipline intensive patients there (although a good orthopedic floor will get you experience with the PT/OT and social services for your patients requiring rehab after surgery).

The patient ratio will be much less although often with more acute patients. And just keep reviewing the charts. JHACO requires many things from hospitals and the easiest way to show compliance is through audits of charts - ask your manager when you get hired on if you could be in charge of those audits.

Hope this helps

Pat

schroeders_piano, RN · Dec 7, 2008

I have been a DON and MDS Coordinator before. MDS is a pain in the backside and really not worth it. I would suggest trying an ICU. There is always something new to learn or a new piece of equipment to play with and you usually only have 2 patients sometimes 3. You can focus in on those patients, look at the body systems and what is happening, and then in a few years when you want that desk job, you will be ready.

ErraticThinker · Dec 7, 2008

I think the first year as an RN is tough no matter where you start. after awhile it can kind of become robotic in a way. I was so glad when I moved into the ICU because i felt like i had found my niche. don't get me wrong, it's tiring and i run around, but it's a lot of thinking on your feet, looking at multiple systems and how its painting the clinical picture you see in front of you. its one or two patients that you know in and out.

maybe you just need a change of pace. i definitely agree that an acute care setting might be a better environment for you.