A1300: Optional Resident Items

Item Rationale

Some facilities prefer to include the nursing home medical record number on the MDS to facilitate tracking.

Some facilities conduct unit reviews of MDS items in addition to resident and nursing home level reviews. The unit may be indicated by the room number.

Preferred name and lifetime occupation help nursing home staff members personalize their interactions with the resident.

Many people are called by a nickname or middle name throughout their life. It is important to call residents by the name they prefer in order to establish comfort and respect between staff and resident. Also, some cognitively impaired or hearing impaired residents might have difficulty responding when called by their legal name, if it is not the name most familiar to them.

Others may prefer a more formal and less familiar address. For example, a physician might appreciate being referred to as “Doctor.”

Knowing a person’s lifetime occupation is also helpful for care planning and conversation purposes. For example, a carpenter might enjoy pursuing hobby shop activities.

These are optional items because they are not needed for CMS program function.

Coding Instructions for A1300A, Medical Record Number

Enter the resident’s medical record number (from the nursing home medical record, admission office or Health Information Management Department) if the nursing home chooses to exercise this option.

Coding Instructions for A1300B, Room Number

Enter the resident’s room number if the nursing home chooses to exercise this option.

Coding Instructions for A1300C, Name by Which Resident Prefers to Be Addressed

Enter the resident’s preferred name. This field captures a preferred nickname, middle name, or title that the resident prefers staff use.

Obtained from resident self-report or family or significant other if resident is unable to respond.

Coding Instructions for A1300D, Lifetime Occupation(s)

Enter the job title or profession that describes the resident’s main occupation(s) before retiring or entering the nursing home. When two occupations are identified, place a slash (/) between each occupation.

The lifetime occupation of a person whose primary work was in the home should be recorded as “homemaker.” For a resident who is a child or an intellectually disabled/developmentally disabled adult resident who has never had an occupation, record as “none.”