RAI MDS COMPETENCY COURSE:
REVIEW OF LATEST RAI REVISIONS & 
EVALUATION OF SKILLS OF MDS NURSES

The State Operations Manual has specified the following in 2017:

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§483.35(a)(3) The facility must ensure that licensed nurses have the specific competencies and skill sets necessary to care for residents’ needs, as identified through resident assessments, and described in the plan of care.

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§483.35(a)(4) Providing care includes but is not limited to assessing, evaluating, planning and implementing resident care plans and responding to resident’s needs.

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GUIDANCE §483.35(a)(3)-(4),(c) Cite this Tag only if there are deficiencies related to the competency of nursing staff.
If the survey investigation reveals that there are concerns with the competency of staff in areas other than Nursing Services refer to;
• F741, §483.40(a) for any staff caring for residents with dementia or a history of trauma and/or post-traumatic stress disorder;
• F801, §483.60(a) for Food and Nutrition staff;
• F826, §483.65(b), Specialized rehabilitative services;
• F839, §483.70(f), Administration for any other staff not referenced above.

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Staff may inform surveyors of the tools they use to help show evidence of the required competencies. However, merely stating or referencing the tools is not enough on its own to verify compliance. Staff must also demonstrate that they possess the competency to use the tools in a manner that accomplishes their purpose, of aiding to effectively identify and address resident changes in condition.

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(State Operations Manual Rev. 173, Issued: 11-22-17, Effective: 11-28-17, Implementation: 11-28-17)

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The above regulations have given rise to the importance of checking the skills of Long Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facility employees and showing evidence of competencies. 

 

Hence, the essentialness to utilize this RAI MDS 3.0 Competency Course.

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PURPOSE:

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The purpose of  the RAI MDS Competency Course is to compile the recent RAI-related revisions to update the MDS-involved staff, to test their skills of the recent changes, to review their overall knowledge and to maintain competency of the RAI process.  The course may be used as a tool to help show evidence of the required staff competencies to meet the State Operations Manual requirement of the facility's assessment of their staff.

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Perhaps you have been doing MDSs for awhile now.  Maybe you are already updated with the recent changes.  You probably do not need to review the documents in this course because you are a Minimum Data Set (MDS) nurse, 24/7 and know the RAI process by heart.  Can you prove it?  Can you prove it when a surveyor asks you if you are competent?  And can you show evidence that you are competent?

 

Facilities "must ensure that the staff have the specific competencies and skill sets necessary to care for residents’ needs, as identified through resident assessments, and described in the plan of care".  One way to ensure this is by having evidence that the staff have taken a training or course to review the skills. The test at the end of the Competency Course can gauge areas some staff may need to review; thus, helping them with being competent in the MDS arena.  Let us help you prove you are competent!  

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The RAI MDS Competency Course is a self-paced, self-review, self-study format online.  This means there is no instructor.   This means you learn on your own and then take a test to show you know.  The test is set up as a learning tool:  No "double negative questions" and no trick questions to confuse a learner.  We believe adult learners already have enough challenges in life.

 

The Certificate of Completion is printable right after passing the examination.

 

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RECOMMENDED ATTENDEES:

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Any MDS-involved IDT members who need the following:

• Update personnel file

• Show proof of completing a course regarding RAI (MDS) updates 

• Practice RAI-related skills

• Show evidence of MDS competency

• On-boarding test for new MDS-involved staff for possible hire 

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(Current scheduled dates are for MDS nurses.  Social Services, Activity and Dietary Departments will have separate dates soon but if you are well-versed with the MDS, you are welcome to take the course!)

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This course is not for beginners.  If you are, please visit the full training in the MDS 3.0 Training page.

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REQUIREMENT:

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• Dependable internet online connection.

• Working device with working screen:  Desktop, laptop, tablet or Smartphone.

• Accessible email address.

• Complete the course and pass the examination with 80% score (maximum 3 attempts) by 11:59pm of the 3rd day of signing up.

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MATERIALS:

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Updates or revisions of the RAI manual within the past year, the RAI manual and the MDS Assessment Form are provided in the course as reference materials.  All are in digital format and are available within the course.  There is no need to purchase these separately.

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MDS/RAI Advisor is not responsible for replacing or resending files after the course has ended.  Files are made available before and/or during the course and it is the responsibility of the attendee to open and check the file timely.  (If you lose the file after the training, it is not our responsibility to replace it.  This is the same as receiving a file from your English 101 college professor and then a month after you finish the English 101 course, you cannot find the file or cannot open the file:  The institution is not responsible for replacing your lost file or a file you did not open before and during the course.)

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HOW TO REGISTER:

 

Pick a date on the schedule to take the course.  The attendee is given 3 days to complete the course and pass the test with a score of 80% (maximum 3 attempts) by 11:59pm of the 3rd day.  

 

After payment is processed, the attendee will be given an invitation email on the day of the course to open their own account with the online test site.  The attendee needs to use the same name and email they used when they registered and use their own password.  (Why?  Because this is a site where you take a test.  We should not know your password.)  WORD OF ADVISE:  WRITE DOWN YOUR PASSWORD.  WE CANNOT HELP YOU IF YOU LOSE OR FORGET YOUR PASSWORD.  PLEASE DO NOT CALL US FRUSTRATED WHEN YOU CANNOT GO BACK IN THE TEST SITE because you forgot your password.  You need to reset your password.  Please contact the test site.

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CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION: 

 

Complete the Course Sections and pass the Examination with at least a 80% score by 11:59pm of the 3rd day of the Competency Course to avail the CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION.  Afterwards, there will be no access to the course and exam.  

 

If you are unable to complete the course and are unable to pass the examination (maximum of 3 attempts) by 11:59pm of the 3rd day of the course, at the latest, then the Certificate of Completion will not be awarded.  (In this case, the course will need to be re-taken.)

 

If you are able to complete the course and pass the examination by the required time, then you have successfully earned the Certificate of Completion!  

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Print your Certificate of Completion after passing the examination & add to your personnel file!

Note:  Continuing education contact hours are not included in the Certificate of Completion at this time.

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Why is the course set up this way?  Shouldn't I be able to start the course after payment?

1)  Many do not read instructions.

2)  Many panic when they are "stuck" (i.e., cannot go to the next page, their screen is blank, etc).

3)  When the course begins, it is during business hours.  Our phone line is open for those who panic and for those who do not read the instructions.

4)  On your scheduled course date, an MDS Advisor is available to answer questions you may have regarding the updates!  

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IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

1) We are not responsible for the attendee's inability to get in the class for the following reasons:

- The attendee cannot find the link sent on their scheduled course date because they did not read their email or cannot access their email.

- The attendee did not check the invitation link upon receiving the email sent on their scheduled course date.  All links are working links auto-generated by CertCentral.com/student-access/.  (UPDATE 12/2023:  CertCentral.com has closed down.  a different online test site will be utilized.)

- The attendee's device is not working.

- "Work" or "Company" email used during registration and the attendee does not have access to that email at home:  We are not responsible for your ability or inability to access your emails.  It is your responsibility to get the course information with you wherever you are doing the course.  Please forward it to another email before you leave work.

- The attendee's internet is slow or not connected.

2) Sessions are Pacific Time (PT).  Depending on the time of the year, PT can be PST or PDT.

3) Do not drive to our office or former training location.  This is an online, self-study event. 

 

 

IF YOU HAVE COMPUTER ISSUES THE DAY OF THE COURSE:

Please do not call us to help you fix your device:  Unfortunately, one of the requirements for this course is having a dependable, working device.  Perhaps these steps can help:

1.  Clear your cache.  Go to your computer settings and clear your browser cache history.

2.  Check your browser.  The browser might be old and not updated.  Sometimes work computers are not updated and employees have limited access.  Here are the minimal versions required for each browser-

FOR DESKTOP browsers:  Google Chrome 55+, Firefox 53+, Safari 12.1+, Microsoft Edge 42.  

FOR MOBILE browsers (examples are smartphones such as iphones or tablets such as galaxy or ipads): iOS and Android OS.  

Don't know your browser?  Click here. For instructions on how to update your browser, visit your browser's help pages. We recommend using one of these browsers:

• Google Chrome

• Firefox

• Microsoft Edge

• Safari

3.  Call your computer or phone company.  (Apple, Dell, Verizon, AT&T and Microsoft have numbers you can call and they really do help.) 

4.  Use a different device, like a tablet or another smartphone.

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CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICIES:

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Cancellations must be in writing- email or by postal mail.

 

ALL cancellations are subject to an administrative processing cancellation fee.  For the Competency Course, each attendee subject to a $5 administrative processing cancellation fee.

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Once your notification of cancellation is received, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your notification of cancellation. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your request for a refund.

 

If you are approved, then your refund will be processed and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within 14 days.

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Refunds will be processed with the applicable administrative processing cancellation fee if the following conditions apply:

 

1)   Cancellations (in writing) by 5pm (Pacific) of the day prior to the event.

 

2)  Cancellations after 5pm (Pacific) prior to the training event and during the training event with proof of survey or proof of emergency/hospitalization of attendee provided to MDS/RAI ADVISOR.  Proof provided after the training event is not eligible for a refund. Important note:  If notification of proof of survey or proof of emergency/hospitalization of attendee is provided before the actual training event, attendee has the option of  transferring to next training date equivalent to the same type of course, depending on seat availability, if the course is available and is transferable only one time within 3 months.  

 

Refunds not applicable for the following conditions:*

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1)  All cancellations after 5pm (Pacific) of the day prior to the event.  Attendee will be responsible for full registration fee and forfeits all class materials and seats are no longer transferable.  

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2)  "No Shows".  Attendee will be responsible for full registration fee and forfeits all class materials and seats are no longer transferable.  

 

3)  Proof of survey or proof of emergency/hospitalization of attendee provided to MDS/RAI ADVISOR after training event is not eligible for a refund.  Attendee will be responsible for full registration fee and forfeits all class materials and seats are no longer transferable.  

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4)  Transferring seats after the allowable cancellation deadline means the attendee has notified MDS/RAI Advisor of not being able to attend the originally scheduled course after the cancellation deadline.  In such a case, the attendee cannot be refunded if they cancel the next session they have chosen to transfer their seat.

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Seats are transferable for the following conditions:

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1)  Seats are transferable only if request is made by 5pm of the day before the training event- only for same equivalent course, depending on seat availability, if the course is available and one time only within 3 months. 

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2) If notification of proof of survey or proof of emergency/hospitalization of attendee is provided before the actual training event, attendee has the option of  transferring to next training date equivalent to the same type of course, depending on seat availability, if the course is available and is transferable only one time within 3 months.

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3)  Another person can substitute your spot in the class if we are notified by email by 5pm of the day before the event, one time only.

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Transferring seats after the allowable cancellation deadline means the attendee has notified MDS/RAI Advisor of not being able to attend the originally scheduled course after the cancellation deadline.  In such a case, the attendee cannot be refunded if they cancel the next session they have chosen to transfer their seat.

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In an event that MDS/RAI ADVISOR cancels:

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In an event that MDS/RAI ADVISOR cancels due to an extreme emergency, full refund of the course will be provided and attendee will be notified by phone and/or email as early as possible.  MDS/RAI ADVISOR has the right to refuse service if attendee is disruptive and/or at anytime, if safety issues are of concern.  MDS/RAI ADVISOR is not responsible for any charges incurred by attendee.

 

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Updated 09/13/2024