OASIS Alert

Test Your OASIS Savvy ...

Scenario: On Monday your agency received an RN/PT referral. The nurse is to admit on Tuesday morning, and the therapist is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. When the physical therapist arrives, she learns from the patient that the RN called and rescheduled for Wednesday. The PT has the patient sign a consent form, conducts the PT evaluation and initiates treatment. The RN visits on Wednesday and completes the start of care comprehensive assessment with the OASIS items, in addition to providing skilled care.

Question: In this scenario did the therapist take the correct action?

Answer: No. The nurse must assess the patient before the therapist makes a visit, explained Pat Sevast with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, when she presented this scenario at a session of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice's October annual conference in Baltimore. The therapist will need to reschedule unless she can contact the nurse and have her come to do the assessment right away, Sevast said.