OASIS Alert

Hint: One hinges on changes in pain since the last assessment.

At first glance, M2250 and M2400 seem to ask the same question -- are there interventions for monitoring and mitigating pain? Yet there are some key differences:

#1. You cannot select "NA" for M2400 unless you've assessed a patient's pain using a standardized tool since the last OASIS assessment, and it revealed no pain.

#2.You must select "Yes" or "No" based not only on whether intervention orders are present, but if there is evidence that they were implemented.

To correctly respond, you'll need to "review the POC and documentation in a systemic, standardized way," says Fazzi Associates. That includes referring to any software programs or paper tools started at the SOC that show your work at managing patients' pain.

To simplify your M2400 responses, Fazzi offers these tips:

• You can select "Yes" for ordered interventions that were later determined unnecessary

• You should select "No" for ordered interventions your patients declined to receive

• You can select "Yes" for M2400 despite a "No" answer in M2250 if you received interim orders.

Resource: For more tips, refer to Fazzi Associates' OASIS C Best Practices Manual at www.fazzi.com/oasis/OASIS-C_Best_Practice_Manual.pdf.