SUMMARY OF POSITION
The Nurse Assessment Coordinator (NAC) is ultimately responsible for the oversight and coordination of the federally mandated resident assessment instrument (RAI) process, which includes the MDS assessment, care area assessment, and care plan development or revisions. The NAC works with the interdisciplinary team (nursing, therapy, dietary, social services, activities, etc.) to complete MDS assessments, analyze care areas, and develop and revise a comprehensive care plan and ensure that compliance is maintained with state and federal guidelines. The NAC is responsible for attesting to the completion of the Minimum Data Set (MDS), which is the key driver of the care plan, Quality Measures, and used for Medicare payment and many Medicaid reimbursement systems. The NAC serves as the expert resource for the Patient- Driven Payment Model (PDPM) and is responsible for complying with ethical and timeliness standards when setting ARDs, completing assessments, and upholding Medicare requirements. Finally, the NAC assists with the coordination of care delivery by applying advanced nursing clinical skills, completing assessments, analyzing data, educating team members, and coordinating the exchange of resident information across the care settings.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The essential functions listed below are typical examples of work performed in this role. This list is only partial and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Coordinate the RAI process, which includes, at a minimum, the following elements:
Minimum Data Set (MDS)
Care Area Assessment process
Care plan development, implementation and evaluation
Provide oversight of assessment completion and transmission to the national repository. Review final validation reports and correct or modify assessments in response to warnings or errors, as needed
Coordinate the completion of the comprehensive care plan according to regulatory requirements
Maintain the OBRA and PPS assessment schedules
Be highly involved in determining skilled level of care for Medicare residents and procuring required Medicare- specific documentation; be responsible for physician certification/recertification of a skilled level of care throughout the Medicare stay; be involved in making Medicare eligibility determinations
Coordinate care with case managers for residents utilizing managed care, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), commercial insurance, and other alternate payment models
Maintain compliance with state-specific regulations regarding the RAI process
Provide insight and analysis of MDS-based Quality Measures
Serve as a member of the quality assessment and assurance (QAA) and/or the quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) committees
Work closely with hospital discharge planners and physicians to obtain accurate and complete documentation to support ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding and surgical procedures
Audit and improve staff education/competency as needed to ensure accurate and timely completion of supporting documentation and MDS assessments
Participate in discharge planning, training, caregiver training, and the provision of resources, as needed
Foster effective working relationships and build consensus
Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
Plan, organize, prioritize, work independently, and meet deadlines
Use judgment and make sound independent decisions
Work effectively with individuals at all levels of the organization, as well as with residents, family members, visitors, government personnel, and the public
Be knowledgeable of federal regulations, practice standards, and procedures, as well as guidelines pertaining to the RAI process
Possess the ability to plan, organize, develop, implement, and interpret the programs, goals, objectives, policies and procedures, etc., that are necessary for ensuring the accurate and timely completion of the RAI documents
Have the ability to learn computersystems, system applications, and related office equipment
Review resident complaints and grievances associated with the RAI process and care delivery protocols; make written reports of action taken; discuss with the resident, representative, and family as appropriate
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITES
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
At a minimum, must have knowledge of current state and federal regulations, particularly the following pertinent sections of Appendix PP:
§ 483.20Resident Assessments
§ 483.21 Comprehensive Resident-Centered Care Plans
Desired traits: integrity, attention to detail, accuracy, time-management skills, ability to meet deadlines, critical- thinking skills, written and verbal communication skills, care plan development skills, and problem-solving skills
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND LICENSES
An active unencumbered nursing license in the state of Arkansas
A registered nurse(RN) is preferred
MDS certification with minimum of 2 or more years of experience
Long term care minimum of 5 or more years of experience
