New to MDS.....any advice or tips?

[whit_LPN]

I have been a LPN for almost 14 years and have a lot of good experience under my belt in several different settings, and just accepted a new role as MDS coordinator at a LTC facility. I have completed a week of training from a very good MDS coordinator and will start on the job tomorrow. I want to do the best job I can, but still have some confusion with scheduling assessments, and how I can move around the ARD on ICF patients to capture different therapies and treatments to raise the RUG.

I'm sure a lot of this will come with time. Just feeling a little nervous.

Any advice is welcome and appreciated. I love that this site exists!!!!!

xoxoxoxo

[Patty58]

I work in a 40 bed Skilled Nursing/Long Term Care facility - I coordinate the ARD dates with the Therapy Director because our RUG scores are based on therapy minutes - for Medicare & Managed Care. I'm not sure if it works the same for ICF patients.

[Patty58]

Part 2: Our long term residents are either Medicaid or Private Pay - so the only the OBRA assessments are required: Entry, Admission, Quarterly, Significant Change, Significant Correction, and discharge/death (I think I remembered them all). The ARD are based on the admission date or date of Significant change & of course discharge/death.

[whit_LPN]

Thank you for replying!!! I work in a 180 bed facility that has skilled and ICF. There is me and another MDS coordinator. They have split the building up between us so we can keep up with our own patients and their assessments. I am slowly getting the hang of it all. Now I am having some confusion with signature dates. When to date the r2b and careplan etc. shew so much to remember and learn, but I have to say I am loving it. I love a challenge.

[sadie46]

I just accepted a position as a mds coordinator prn because they already have 2 mds coordinator. I am very nervous about the position but my question is about pay I am from Norfolk va and they offered me 20.00 is this good or bad. I was always told mds makes money.