What is this fascinating specialty?

I keep seeing MDS Coordinator Information posts pop up on my home page, and every time I try to lurk on this forum it looks like the posters are speaking in code. I can't make heads or tails of it.

What is this enigmatic nursing specialty? What do the codes represent? Who are you people? I'm intrigued.

[mlolsonny]

MDS (Minimum Data Set--nothing minimum about it) is the federally required Resident Assessment Instrument for nursing homes that drives further assessment, care planning, reimbursement, and nursing home quality measures. It's a Long term care sub-specialty, as most MDS coordinators are first and foremost nurses, but also detectives, teachers, reimbursement specialists, and documentation pros!

[adventure_rn, BSN]

MDS (Minimum Data Set--nothing minimum about it) is the federally required Resident Assessment Instrument for nursing homes that drives further assessment, care planning, reimbursement, and nursing home quality measures. It's a Long term care sub-specialty, as most MDS coordinators are first and foremost nurses, but also detectives, teachers, reimbursement specialists, and documentation pros!

Thank you for sharing! Inquiring minds want to know.

[RNrhythm, BSN, RN]

Can this be a side job? The posts I see here sound pretty involved but I had a brief conversation with a registry nurse who, if I understood her correctly, does it one day a week. I was intrigued because she only has about 18 months experience as an RN. I am looking for a one-day-a-week, not-a-12-hour-shift, side gig.

[cmonlaf, MSN, RN]

I do MDS 3 days a week. I think it just depends on the facility and their needs. It is good to learn and could open doors in LTC as is it a valued skill to know how to do MDS.

[Talino]

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