New to MDS venting out...trainer fired

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Just want to vent out.... I officially started my MDS training Feb1,2010. Im new with MDS... had 2 days of physically working with a trainer and when I got back to work this morning... found out they fired my trainer. I was shocked. I was like teary eyed when I heard coz Im at a lost. Had to attend Stand up meeting and Utilization review followed and so basically, got busy for 4 hours with it.

Had lunch and I just want to scream!!! Anyway, they gave me a number whom to call as my resource person for MDS and guess what? She is in Washington & Im in California. So anyway, we run the MDS due date report....wow! backlogs backlogs backlogs .... 18 backlogs on MDS since December???:(

Showed it to my DON and Admin..... ofcourse, they told me Im gonna be fine...I dont know if they care. that I dont know what to do anymore. What I did is that, I cleaned the office where the old MDS Coor left some mess, fixed some binders so Im gonna have a system, organized my calendar.

Now its Friday,glad Im off the weekend and just wanna be tough these coming weeks to fix up somebody else's mess. I dont know if Im gonna quit or Im gonna take this as a challenge. but if I have to ask myself, Im willing to learn the MDS & willing to "fix" as long as I am gonna be guided accordingly. Just want to ventilate.......any words of encouragement?:( what should I do? Thank you so much!

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

First, take a breath. You can only do what you can do. Get your manual out and start going through the back log. If you can, get the PPS MDSs done first. That's where the money is. If you have the support of your DNS and ED, you should be fine. Will you be perfect right away? Nope. Will you have frustrating days? Yes. Will you know the best dates to pick to make the most money? Not for a while but the rehab manager should be able to help with that. Get yourself organized, do one MDS at a time and you'll get it done.

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CCM gave excellent advice--here's a little more...

  1. Don't do anything illegal. :uhoh3:
  2. There are 2 possible ways to "correct" 18 PPS MDS "due" for December and any showing up as "due" for January/February. In order to get ANY payment, an assessment must be done--timely or late (default).
    • If there are written minutes from a PPS standup or UR meeting that list specific ARDs for specific assessment types for specific patients, you could open and complete the assessments--using the actual day of completion at R2b. Transmit these MDS--you facility can bill the RUG transmitted and accepted. There is no regulation stating that an MDS must be completed within a certain timeframe--but the ARD must have been determined or "set" within the proper window.
    • If no ARDs were set, the correct type/s of PPS assessment/s must be completed NOW (do MPAF's, minimal info, "dash" most items) and transmit--your facility can bill the DEFAULT rate.

[*]If you are "out" of the window to set an ARD, but still within a payment window for an assessment, set the ARD for TODAY--your facility can bill the RUG from this assessment for the remainder of the payment period, and default for the beginning days.

[*]FOCUS--Be sure all current MC patients have ARDs set with open assessments. You do not want any further "default" RUG billings.

[*]Don't do anything illegal. :uhoh3:

[*]USE YOUR CONSULTANT--review your plan with him/her.

[*]Don't do anything illegal. :uhoh3:

"You're going to do fine" is not an appropriate comment to make to an UNTRAINED employee in a NEW role with NO on-site person to assist/complete. :down: Ask the administrator how he/she wants to "handle" the assessments that were not done--be sure he/she understands that you can't "fix" something that never existed--is that "fine"? Ask the DN who can help complete assessments--be sure he/she understands that it will take you twice the time to schedule/complete MDS and you must have help--is that "fine"?

This is one of the best challenges you will face in your career. The measurement of "success" or "failure" may not be how long it takes you to "catch up." Instead, it may be in how well you can assess and express the problem, assess and express your needs, and assess and express if the available support is sufficient to "do fine."

Good luck!

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Thank you sooooo much guys:) I REALLY appreciate it.....

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Today I was able to finish an MDS Assessment with RAPS and doing the RAP summary consumed most of my time. It was my first time to do it though but I really had a hard time. Do you have any suggestions on how I could improve on.

Maybe you could give me a sample on how you would do it? On the areas ADL, PRESSURE ULCER,FALL,INCONTINENCE,PSychotropics... etc.

Im learning MDS slowly, but I want to learn it the right way. I still call the resource nurse everyday although sometimes I think i do bug her a lot. But what can I do.... I need to ask questions and look at the RAI manual as well.

My DON did one MDS backlog awhile ago and called her MDS guru friend. My DON has done MDS but she told me she did it 12 years AGO.

Anyway, they will be sending me to a 3 day seminar on the last week of February. So hopefully everything will work out well.

i will always be appreciative of you guys if you could give me samples on how to do RAPs. THANK YOU!

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oday I was able to finish an MDS Assessment with RAPS and doing the RAP summary consumed most of my time. It was my first time to do it though but I really had a hard time. Do you have any suggestions on how I could improve on.

Maybe you could give me a sample on how you would do it? On the areas ADL, PRESSURE ULCER,FALL,INCONTINENCE,PSychotropics... etc.

Im learning MDS slowly, but I want to learn it the right way. I still call the resource nurse everyday although sometimes I think i do bug her a lot. But what can I do.... I need to ask questions and look at the RAI manual as well.

My DON did one MDS backlog awhile ago and called her MDS guru friend. My DON has done MDS but she told me she did it 12 years AGO.

Anyway, they will be sending me to a 3 day seminar on the last week of February. So hopefully everything will work out well.

i will always be appreciative of you guys if you could give me samples on how to do RAPs. THANK YOU!

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