From: carol maher
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2003 1:21 PM
Subject: Re: clarifying IV fluids with section G
The way that I look at it is that when the IV Vanco in 200cc is given, it is an episode of "total" assistance by the staff. The instructions to code includes "full staff performance of activity 3 or more times during part (but not all) of the last 7 days. The manual clearly includes IV intake and tube feeding as part of eating.
I've been following this thread closely because it is another one of those gray areas of the MDS which depending upon interpretation and section G coding ultimately determines so much...RUGS, RAPS triggering, etc. I strive to do things correctly as per the RAI manual and CMS' FAQs, though I realize that so many things we code because of these instructions-don't make a lot of sense clinically. Particularly this area. I must be missing something in my interpretation of eating in section G...I thought the manual defines eating as how the resident eats and drinks, regardless of skill. This includes intake of nourishment by other means i.e., IV's and tube feedings. So when talking about IV Abts. diluted in fluid, it seems a big jump to consider this nourishment, KWIM? Has there been a FAQ clarifying this from CMS?
TIA!
Cathy
