Q: Can a registered nurse complete a Discharge OASIS as a non-visit discharge if a therapist made the last home visit?
A: It would be acceptable for a registered nurse to complete the Discharge OASIS comprehensive assessment as part of a non-billable visit, if a therapist made the last home visit. Assessment data would reflect the registered nurse’s assessment findings. This would also be acceptable in situations when a therapy assistant or licensed practical nurse made the last billable visit prior to discharge.
assessments, discharge, discharge assessment, non-billable visit, non-visit discharge, therapy
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.
September 1st, 2010 at 2:29 pm
If the last visit was by a therapist, why would they not do the discharge OASIS?
If there was a therapy assistant, the therapist is the overseerer of the patient and still should to the OASIS discharge on the last visit.
If the LPN is the last visit, the RN should be doing the supervisory vist. I understood the OASIS to be an ASSESSMENT and should be done by an actual visit right?
cheryl
September 1st, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Hi Cheryl,
There are some home care agencies that have a practice of having all OASIS assessments completed by a Registered Nurse. This is part of the agency’s practice. In this situation, it would be acceptable for the registered nurse to make a nonbillable visit to perform the OASIS comprehensive assessment. In most situations, it would be preferred to have a physical therapist or registered nurse make a visit to the patient’s home to perform the discharge assessment. However, that is not always possible. For example, the patient may die, be hospitalized, or move out of the service area. If the physician suddenly discharges a patient and the last visit was by an assistant discipline (e.g., PTA, LPN, etc.), then the best practice would be for the agency to send a qualifying discipline able to perform the OASIS to the home for a non-billable visit. This would provide for the best outcomes. Of course, the patient would have to agree to this visit.
Thanks,
Lu