AAPACN is dedicated to supporting post-acute care nurses provide quality care.

RAC-CT

Resident Assessment Coordinator–Certified Program

Online + PDF 10-course set – Members: $715 |  Non-members: $1,429
Workshop – Members: $732 |  Non-members: $938
Printed Manuals Set – Members: $1,116 | Non-members: $2,231
Continuing Education:
 46.78 CE hours for online; 22.5 CE hours for workshop

Ready to certify your MDS 3.0 knowledge?

The RAC-CT® (Resident Assessment Coordinator—Certified) education and certification program has long set the national standard for skilled nursing facility PPS and MDS 3.0 education. The RAC-CT is the same certification program originally created by the MDS professionals at AANAC (American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination), now part of AAPACN. Constantly reviewed and updated by a team of experts, the RAC-CT certification program ensures your knowledge of clinical assessment and care planning, completion of the MDS, and the regulatory body surrounding the RAI/MDS process. 

Male nurse preparing to earn the RAC-CT certification
Learn how to:
  • Navigate tough coding dilemmas with the most current coding and regulatory knowledge 
  • Recover reimbursement and avoid overpayment by knowing where to find important MDS data 
  • Proactively solve quality pitfalls by recognizing the clues reflected in your Quality Measure and Five Star reports 
  • Uncover unique solutions that honor resident preference by synthesizing MDS, CAA, and care plan data into individualized interventions 
  • Earn respect in your facility by proving that you are dedicated, capable, and knowledgeable 
  • Gain confidence that will enable you to take a leadership role in resident care 

RAC-CT Core Curriculum

The RAC-CT certification program consists of 10 education courses designed for post-acute care professionals with at least six months of experience with the MDS/RAI process. To earn the RAC-CT credential, you must successfully complete the 10 associated final certification exams with a score of 80% or higher. There are three exam attempts per course. Recertification is required every two years

Below is the suggested order for the self-study courses; if you attend a workshop, the order will be slightly different.

  • MDS 3.0 Coding for OBRA and PPS, Part 1 (CEs – 4.35)
  • MDS 3.0 Coding for OBRA and PPS, Part 2 (CEs – 4.75)
  • Introduction to ICD-10-CM Coding for Long-Term Care (CEs – 3.5)
  • Care Area Assessments and the MDS 3.0 (CEs – 4.14)
  • Care Planning and the MDS 3.0 (CEs – 5.73)
  • OBRA Timing and Scheduling for the MDS 3.0 (CEs – 4.79)
  • Managing the Patient-Driven Payment Model in a SNF (CEs – 4.84)
  • Introduction to Medicare Part A (CEs – 5.4) 
  • Quality Measures and the MDS 3.0 (CEs – 5.78) 
  • The Five-Star Quality Rating System (CEs – 3.5)

Course Formats

AAPACN provides a format that fits your learning style. Every format offers immediate access to online quizzes and the final exam, including:

  • Live Workshops – Complete the final exams online after receiving live instruction from a Master Teacher.
  • Online Courses Plus PDF – Complete the course and final exam online, and print a PDF of each course manual for future reference.
  • Printed Manual – Complete the final exam online and keep the course manual for future reference. 

The First Step

We recommend six months of experience working with the RAI process and the MDS 3.0 to reap the full benefits of this program. If you have less than six months of experience, consider the MDS Essentials Virtual Workshop as a foundation to get you started and make sure you’re prepared to succeed in the RAC-CT program. 

Need help getting support for your RAC-CT certification?

Asking for your boss’s support can be challenging. Share with them our “Value of Certification” research page showing that facilities with a RAC-CT staff member have a 16% higher overall five-star rating than facilities without a RAC-CT staff member.

Need help accessing your certificate?

Your certificate will be ready for you on the My Certificates area of your Learner Dashboard once you have fulfilled all of the certification requirements. Be sure that you have registered for (or purchased) the course as well as enrolled in the course, which allows for tracking of your progress. This two-minute video explains how to register, enroll, and find your certificate.

Have more questions?

Learn more about the RAC-CT Certification by downloading the Candidate Handbook found in the AAPACN Learner Dashboard. Visit the AAPACN Learner Dashboard Education FAQs page for more information.