MDS Alert

Does your documentation cover these assessment bases?

Facilities should consider screening residents with indwelling catheters, according to a tool developed for the Nursing Home Quality Initiative.

Use this checklist to identify residents who may be candidates for keeping or removing an indwelling catheter or receiving additional evaluation. 
 
1. Date of catheter initiation.

2. Medical reason for urinary catheter placement.

3. Urinary voiding status prior to catheterization.

4. Identification of factors that may warrant intermittent as opposed to continuous use of a catheter (e.g., spinal cord injury, hip fracture).

5. Appropriate coding of H1b and H3d on the MDS.

6. Next steps (in-depth or further evaluation, if warranted).

7. Schedule for regular rescreening of resident's bladder function.

Source: Excerpted from a screening tool developed by the quality improvement organizations for the NHQI.