What Is an MDS in Nursing?

If you’re an experienced nurse interested in non-bedside roles, becoming an MDS coordinator might be a great fit for you. MDS coordinators are nurses who work in post-acute facilities to meet standards for federal and state reimbursement. They’re meticulous record-keepers and their work helps keep these facilities running.

You’re probably wondering, what does an MDS stand for in nursing? The minimum data set (MDS) is an assessment tool that long-term care facilities must use to submit essential information to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to maintain funding. But an MDS in nursing isn’t just about paperwork. These RNs also coordinate care for patients and work with the interdisciplinary team to ensure that assessments are thorough and complete.

MDS is a comprehensive assessment of a single patient’s health status, and includes assessment data from different members of the healthcare team. These assessments include:

• Functional status
• Cognitive status
• Mental health
• Psychosocial functioning
• Geriatric syndromes
• Life care wishes
• Diagnoses and medications

What’s the Purpose of an MDS Coordinator?

MDS coordinators help facilities maintain federal funding, because Medicare and Medicaid require these assessments for reimbursement. MDS reports aim to standardize care across different facilities, and they’re essential for maintaining quality and safety. But make no mistake, these are not just billing forms. They’re clinical documents that require a nurse’s expertise.

After sweeping legislation in the 1980s, CMS began requiring nursing homes to file comprehensive assessments for residents. These MDS forms are filed electronically every three months (and sometimes more often) on every resident, and they must be signed off by an RN. Implementing MDS in nursing homes has contributed to nationwide insights into the health of vulnerable adults.

But because of staff turnover and shifting federal requirements, these reports were inconsistent when they were filed by different members of the team. Enter MDS coordinators, who bring their clinical expertise and organization skills to this task. This field requires a specialized skill set, and knowledge of medical coding and federal mandates.

A Day in the Life of an MDS Coordinator

MDS coordinators typically work eight-hour shifts, and it’s more similar to an office job than a bedside position. They don’t tend to work weekends, holidays, or on-call shifts. If it’s the end of the month, you might put in some extra hours to get billing paperwork in.

Some facilities may ask you to work the floor when they are short-staffed, but for the most part, nurses enjoy the more laid-back schedule of this role. Here’s what a day might look like as an MDS coordinator:

0800: You get into the office, and check the census for any changes such as new admissions or discharges since you were here last. You’ll probably have a list of MDS assessments that are in progress, and you might work on a few of them before appointments or meetings. If your facility is scheduled to get new admissions or discharge patients today, you’ll make a note to make any necessary changes to those patients’ MDS files.

1000: You visit a new admission patient to begin their initial assessments. In larger facilities, nurse managers or floor nurses will do patient assessments and give them to you to file. You meet with members of the interdisciplinary team, like RNs, respiratory therapists, and pharmacists, to ensure their forms are up to date and filed correctly.

1200: You take lunch and a coffee break.

1230: You meet with team members for a patient who is being discharged, and update their MDS with a complete assessment. You coordinate care plans so that this patient receives the correct referrals for home care once they’re discharged. Once this form is done, you sign off on it and transmit it to the federal and state government databases. You document your progress on each MDS via a spreadsheet, so you can keep track of forms you’ve completed and ones you have yet to file.

1600: You attend a daily palliative performance scale (PPS) meeting, and go over assessment data on a resident and their care plan. These daily meetings help you communicate with the interprofessional team, as well as residents and families, to make care decisions that will support patients goals.

1730: You make a note of your reports for the day and where you’ll need to pick up tomorrow, then you leave the office.

MDS coordinators tend to feel that their jobs are less stressful than bedside roles because they’re not directly responsible for patient care. But these RNs aren’t just here for documenting MDS. In a nursing home, these essential team members contribute to patient outcomes. And the job can be stressful when reports pile up, like when you get several admissions in a day, or at the end of the month when files are due.

Essential Skills for Filing MDS in Nursing Facilities

If you’re thinking about becoming an MDS coordinator in a nursing home or elsewhere, you’ll want to have these unique skills:

• Attention to detail: Precision is crucial in MDS assessments. Coordinators need to pay close attention to details to accurately document residents’ conditions, care needs, and progress. Small discrepancies can lead to significant issues in patient care and facility reimbursement.
• In-depth regulatory and coding knowledge: MDS coordinators possess a deep understanding of the MDS assessment process, including its guidelines, regulations, and updates. You’ll need to be familiar with the intricacies of coding resident assessments accurately, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Communication skills: MDS coordinators work closely with nurses, therapists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals, as well as patients and their families. Strong interpersonal skills are essential to effectively communicate, coordinate care plans, and ensure that all relevant information is accurately reflected in the MDS assessments.
• Clinical assessment skills: MDS coordinators assess patients comprehensively. They often collaborate with healthcare providers to gather necessary information about residents’ health conditions, treatments, and progress, ensuring that the MDS accurately reflects the resident’s status.

MDS Coordinator Salary

On average, MDS coordinators make around $81,500 per year. This is a lower average than the salary for an RN, who makes approximately $94,480 per year. Your salary will depend on your area, the facility you work in, and your experience as a nurse.

To see what you might earn in this role, explore the latest MDS coordinator jobs.

How to Become an MDS Coordinator Nurse: 4 Steps

To become a coordinator for MDS in nursing homes or other facilities, you’ll need to be an RN or LPN with clinical experience, preferably in post-acute care. (Check out a sample MDS nurse job description for more insight.) Here are the steps to become an MDS expert:

Step 1: Nursing School

Both licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and RNs can become MDS coordinators. LPNs go through a diploma program or course. Every RN goes through either an associate (ADN) or bachelors (BSN) program in nursing. Whichever route you choose, nursing school will likely be a challenging yet rewarding first phase of becoming a nurse.

Step 2: Pass the Licensure Exam

After graduating from training or nursing school, you’ll need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses or Registered Nurses (NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN) to practice. The exam tests the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are essential to entering the field. Learn about preparing for the new NCLEX exam.

Step 3: Gain Experience

Once you’ve finished your education, you’ll need to gain clinical experience before applying to MDS coordinator jobs. Entering the field through a new nurse residency program can help you learn foundational skills while gaining mentorship from experienced RNs. Consider nursing jobs in hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare settings to build your skills and confidence.

Once you get a few years of experience, you’ll be able to begin applying to MDS coordinator jobs. Many facilities offer training for experienced nurses who are entering the field, and this is a sought-after skill set in post-acute care.

Step 4: Get Your MDS Nurse Certification

After you get some experience filing MDS forms, getting certified can help you grow your salary and your opportunities. The American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing offers the Resident Assessment Coordinator (RAC-CT) certification for MDS coordinators, which includes technical skills like:

• Coding regulations
• Recovering reimbursements
• Creating tailored care plans for residents
• Leadership in resident care

How Long Does It Take to Become a Coordinator for MDS in Nursing Homes?

If you’re not yet a nurse, it can take one to six years to complete training or get your nursing degree and gain the minimum clinical experience. But if you’re already a nurse with post-acute experience, you could become an MDS coordinator in just a few years.

Put Your Nursing Skills to Work

Now that you know about the functions of MDS in nursing homes, you might be curious about other nursing opportunities that could grow your career. Sign up for our personalized job alerts to see open roles in your area.