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What tools should we use for assessments in OASIS-C?

Thu, Jan 7, 2010

Ask OASIS-Central

What tools should we use for assessments in OASIS-C?

Q: This question is in regards to the recent question for Assessment Tools associated with the OASIS form. The OASIS-C forms that we ordered has a Fall Risk Assessment, the PHQ-2 and the Wong-Baker pain scale, are these sufficient to utilize for the assessment tools?

A: It would be important to assure that the assessment tools are standardized and validated. The PHQ-2 and the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale are standardized tools that have been scientifically validated for use in patients commonly managed in home care. It would be important to assure that the Fall Risk Assessment be a multi-factor assessment that assesses at least two factors correlated to falls risk. The agency must use at least one standardized tool that has been validated as effective in identifying falls risk in community-dwelling elders and which includes a standard response scale. Alternatively, an agency may incorporate several tools as long as one of them meets the criteria as described.

Check out Chapter 5 of the OASIS Guidance Manual, which  provides links and options for various tools.

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This post was written by:

Lu Post

Lu Post, RN, MN, COS-C, is president of Home Care Institute, LLC, a technology-based company with a focus on the development of home care and hospice educational resources. She is certified as a clinical OASIS Specialist from the OASIS Certificate and Competency Board, Inc. Lu earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Georgia State University and her master’s degree as a clinical nurse specialist from Emory University in Atlanta. She has served in a variety of senior leadership and educational roles in some of the largest home care and hospice organizations in the country for over 20 years.

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