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DiraChart MDS item reference
F0400ASection Fv1.20.1Manual page F-3
Res interview: choose clothes to wear
This item is referenced against CMS MDS source materials. Verify coding against the current CMS RAI Manual, item set instructions, and facility documentation before submission.
Quick coding
Answer Codes
Use the item-specific response choices below when structured codes apply.
Response format: Coded response
2
somewhat important
Manual page F-33
not very important
Manual page F-34
not important at all
Manual page F-35
important, but can’t do or no choice
Manual page F-39
no response or non-responsive
Manual page F-3Item-specific instructions
Coding Guidance
Review what the item asks, how to choose the response, and what should be verified before submission.
Steps for Assessment
: Interview Instructions
1. Interview any resident not screened out by the Should Interview for Daily and Activity
Preferences Be Conducted? item (F0300).
2. Conduct the interview in a private setting.
F0400: Interview for Daily Preferences (cont.)
3. Sit so that the resident can see your face. Minimize glare by directing light sources away
from the resident’s face.
4. Be sure the resident can hear you.
•
Residents with hearing impairment should be interviewed using their usual
communication devices/techniques, as applicable.
•
Try an external assistive device (headphones or hearing amplifier) if you have any doubt
about hearing ability.
•
Minimize background noise.
5. Explain the reason for the interview before beginning.
Suggested language: “I’d like to ask you a few questions about your daily routines. The
reason I’m asking you these questions is that the staff here would like to know what’s
important to you. This helps us plan your care around your preferences so that you can have a
comfortable stay with us. Even if you’re only going to be here for a few days, we want to
make your stay as personal as possible.”
6. Explain the interview response choices. While explaining, also show the resident a clearly
written list of the response options, for example a cue card.
Suggested language: “I am going to ask you how important various activities and routines
are to you while you are in this home. I will ask you to answer using the choices you see on
this card [read the answers while pointing to cue card]: ‘Very Important,’ ‘Somewhat
important,’ ‘Not very important,’ ‘Not important at all,’ or ‘Important, but can’t do or no
choice.’”
Explain the “Important, but can’t do or no choice” response option.
Suggested language: “Let me explain the ‘Important, but can’t do or no choice’ answer. You
can select this answer if something would be important to you, but because of your health or
because of what’s available in this nursing home, you might not be able to do it. So, if I ask
you about something that is important to you, but you don’t think you’re able to do it now,
answer ‘Important, but can’t do or no choice.’ If you choose this option, it will help us to
think about ways we might be able to help you do those things.”
7. Residents may respond to questions
•
verbally,
•
by pointing to their answers on the cue card, OR
•
by writing out their answers.
8. If resident cannot report preferences, then interview family or significant others.
F0400: Interview for Daily Preferences (cont.)
Coding Instructions
•
Code 1, very important: if resident, family, or
significant other indicates that the topic is “very
important.”
•
Code 2, somewhat important: if resident, family,
or significant other indicates that the topic is
“somewhat important.”
•
Code 3, not very important: if resident, family, or
significant other indicates that the topic is “not very
important.”
•
Code 4, not important at all: if resident, family, or significant other indicates that
the topic is “not important at all.”
•
Code 5, important, but can’t do or no choice: if resident, family, or significant
other indicates that the topic is “important,” but that they are physically unable to
participate, or have no choice about participating while staying in nursing home because
of nursing home resources or scheduling.
•
Code 9, no response or non-responsive:
— If resident, family, or significant other refuses to answer or says they do not know.
— If resident does not give an answer to the question for several seconds and does not
appear to be formulating an answer.
— If resident provides an incoherent or nonsensical answer that does not correspond to
the question.
Coding Tips
and Special Populations
•
The interview is considered incomplete if the resident gives nonsensical responses or fails
to respond to 3 or more of the 16 items in F0400 and F0500. If the interview is stopped
because it is considered incomplete, and there is no family member or significant other to
assist in completing the interview, fill the remaining F0400 and F0500 items with a 9 and
proceed to F0600, Daily Activity Preferences Primary Respondent.
•
The resident, family member or significant other is being asked about current preferences
while in the nursing home but is not limited to a 7-day period to convey what these
preferences are.
•
The facility is still obligated to complete the interview within the observation period.
DEFINITION
NONSENSICAL
RESPONSE
Any unrelated,
incomprehensible, or
incoherent response that is
not informative with respect
to the item being rated.
F0400: Interview for Daily Preferences (cont.)
Interviewing Tips and Techniques
•
Sometimes respondents give long or indirect answers to interview items. To narrow the
answer to the response choices available, it can be useful to summarize their longer
answer and then ask them which response option best applies. This is known as echoing.
•
For these questions, it is appropriate to explore resident, family and/or significant other’s
answers and try to understand the reason.
MDS item matrixAssessment Applicability
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Official CMS source
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