VARIATION IN-TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR RESIDENT ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT IMPLEMENTATION

Background: this paper provides an overview of the Minimum Data Set/Re sident Assessment Instrument (MDS/RAI) training programmes in eight co untries where the system has been introduced into nursing homes, Forma l education and training in the skills of assessment and care planning of nursing home personnel is reputed to be poor. In response to this problem several researchers and clinicians view MDS/RAI implementation as an opportunity to upgrade staff knowledge in care of elderly peopl e. Results: the courses in the eight countries varied in content and l ength according to the different goals each interRAI researcher planne d when the MDS/RAI was implemented. As expected the greatest differenc es in training approach were between the USA and other countries, In t he USA, where the MDS/RAI was mandated for use in all nursing homes, t ens of thousands of professionals had to be oriented to use the system in a relatively short period of time in order to comply with the law, The training programmes therefore tended to be very short compared wi th those that emerged in countries where the MDS/RAI was freely chosen and implemented.