By Maryanne Bowles, Endura Therapy Resource, Colorado
Back in January 2021, I presented on the resource call about thinking outside of the box on what therapy could do to help Clinical and opportunities we could take. I presented on an MDS coordinator position being held by a therapist. The position works closely with the nursing team and completed MDS are reviewed and signed by a nurse. In this situation our therapist MDS coordinator has her work signed off by her MDS coordinator Apollonia Williams, RN, MDS Coordinator
This week, we presented Carolyn Pluta, OTR/L, CMC, MDS coordinator at South Valley Post-Acute, with the first CMO award for Endura. As the MDS Resource Appy Williams, RN wrote: “Carolyn, thank you for all of your hard work and dedication. You’ve helped pave the way in MDS for Endura, and we are so grateful for all you have done.”
Carolyn began her career as an OT at Julia Temple Specialized Care in 2015 as a staff OT and clinical lead. Carolyn wanted to grow as a leader in therapy. Carolyn then became the DOR at Arvada Care Center in 2017 through 2021 and was a therapy Summit attendee in 2019. Carolyn wanted to grow within the company she loved and with the population she adored, so she expressed interest in the MDS coordinator position with her supervisors and colleagues. “People can’t support you or let you know of opportunities if they don’t know what you are striving for,” she notes. She applied at our Acquisition building South Valley Post Acute and grew to become the first cluster lead MDS coordinator and a mentor for new MDS coordinators. She truly has helped to hold the facility accountable to reach its goals each quarter. We are proud of Carolyn and where she has gone with her desire to achieve this honor in her role. Congratulations — what a great success!