DiraChart MDS item reference

E0900Section Ev1.20.1Manual page E-18

Wandering—Presence & Frequency

Item Rationale

Quick coding

Answer Codes

Use the item-specific response choices below when structured codes apply.

Response format: Coded response
0

Behavior not exhibited

if wandering was not exhibited during the 7-day look-back period. Skip to Change in Behavior or Other Symptoms item (E1100).

1

Behavior of this type occurred 1-3 days

if the resident wandered on 1-3 days during the 7-day look-back period, regardless of the number of episodes that
occurred on any one of those days. Proceed to answer Wandering—Impact item
(E1000).

2

Behavior of this type occurred 4-6 days, but less than daily

if the resident wandered on 4-6 days during the 7-day look-back period, regardless of the
number of episodes that occurred on any one of those days. Proceed to answer
Wandering—Impact item (E1000).

3

Behavior of this type occurred daily

if the resident wandered daily during the 7-day look-back period, regardless of the number of episodes that occurred on
any one of those days. Proceed to answer Wandering—Impact item (E1000).

Item-specific instructions

Coding Guidance

Review what the item asks, how to choose the response, and what should be verified before submission.

RAI Manual v1.20.1

Steps for Assessment

1. Review the medical record and interview staff to determine whether wandering occurred
during the 7-day look-back period.

Wandering is the act of moving (walking or locomotion in a wheelchair) from place to
place with or without a specified course or known direction. Wandering may or may not
be aimless. The wandering resident may be oblivious to their physical or safety needs.
The resident may have a purpose such as searching to find something, but they persist
without knowing the exact direction or location of the object, person or place. The
behavior may or may not be driven by confused thoughts or delusional ideas (e.g., when a
resident believes they must find their parent, who staff know is deceased).
2. If wandering occurred, determine the frequency of the wandering during the 7-day look-back
period.

Manual page E-18
RAI Manual v1.20.1

Coding Instructions

for E0900

Code 0, behavior not exhibited: if wandering was not exhibited during the 7-day
look-back period. Skip to Change in Behavior or Other Symptoms item (E1100).

Code 1, behavior of this type occurred 1-3 days: if the resident wandered on
1-3 days during the 7-day look-back period, regardless of the number of episodes that
occurred on any one of those days. Proceed to answer Wandering—Impact item
(E1000).

Code 2, behavior of this type occurred 4-6 days, but less than daily: if
the resident wandered on 4-6 days during the 7-day look-back period, regardless of the
number of episodes that occurred on any one of those days. Proceed to answer
Wandering—Impact item (E1000).

Code 3, behavior of this type occurred daily: if the resident wandered daily
during the 7-day look-back period, regardless of the number of episodes that occurred on
any one of those days. Proceed to answer Wandering—Impact item (E1000).

Manual page E-18
RAI Manual v1.20.1

Coding Tips

and Special Populations

Pacing (repetitive walking with a driven/pressured quality) within a constrained space is
not included in wandering.

Wandering may occur even if resident is in a locked unit.

Traveling via a planned course to another specific place (such as going to the dining
room to eat a meal or to an activity) is not considered wandering.

Manual page E-18
MDS item matrix

Assessment Applicability

See where this item applies across Nursing Home, Swing Bed, discharge, required-use, OBRA, and program or policy columns.

16 relationships7 groups
Official CMS source

Verify in the CMS Source

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SourceCMS MDS 3.0 RAI Manual v1.20.1
Effective2025-10-01
Mapped locationManual page E-18
Reference details

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