Dont know about HomeHealth

cathrn64 · Mar 23, 2011

Your first OASIS will take a LONG time! I have 20yrs home care experience. So, I have been doing OASIS since before day 1.

Depending on the amount of care needed, completing OASIS, medication reconciliation , + past medical hx, etc, I can do a SOC in 2-4hrs total (in home time + charting time).

So, don't worry about the time. It will get better. You need to plan your days so you go in a logical order to see pt's, and not waste time with backtracking through your territory. You will (depending on your agencies requirements) not need to go to your office daily, so that will save time.

Since you only work once a week you will take longer to orient to the routine, but it can be done!

Good Luck! (I hope you love home care as much as I do in the long run)

caliotter3 · Mar 23, 2011

Give yourself time to settle in and get your pace going. Until you do that, you are not giving the job or yourself enough of a chance to make things work.

Isabelle49 · Mar 23, 2011

Your first OASIS will take a LONG time! I have 20yrs home care experience. So, I have been doing OASIS since before day 1.
Depending on the amount of care needed, completing OASIS, medication reconciliation , + past medical hx, etc, I can do a SOC in 2-4hrs total (in home time + charting time).
So, don't worry about the time. It will get better. You need to plan your days so you go in a logical order to see pt's, and not waste time with backtracking through your territory. You will (depending on your agencies requirements) not need to go to your office daily, so that will save time.
Since you only work once a week you will take longer to orient to the routine, but it can be done!
Good Luck! (I hope you love home care as much as I do in the long run)

Oh Cathrn, so glad to hear that I am not the only one who takes approx 2 - 4 hours with SOC all inclusive. That makes me feel soooo good. I've been doing these for 9 years and had someone in the office, a 'clinical resource manager' tell me that it shouldn't take more than 1 hour. I found On another thread in the Home Health forum, someone commented on a resource that will help the nurse complete the SOC/OASIS in 30 minutes. I had to laugh. Sure, I could just crank them out withou giving the patient a thought, that's easy. Also, when I do an assessment, why ask questions about health history, that's history and am not gonna let that bother me. Meds? Why bother looking at the actual prescription bottle or over the counter containers - that's only a problem if the state visits with me. Patient has a problem? Ask no questions and you'll get no answers. No questions, no problem, no answers, no work!

Again, Cathrn, thanks so much for making my day. You are doing a great job! Thanks to you from all the nurses who are conscientious enough to care and do the right thing!

Isabelle49 · Mar 23, 2011

Trulynurseatheart, Like Cathrn said, give yourself time. If you can get your hands on a SOC, Recert, D/C OASIS and read through them leisurely so you can get used to what is there (and there is a lot there). Organization is a must. Knowing where you are going and what you need are essential to plan an efficient day. I never ever criss cross the city to see patients, unless there is a problem that pops up and that is rare. I like to make a circle - start at home and end at home, with patients and office in the middle.

Again give yourself some time, home health is complicated, but you will get it together. Good Luck.

KateRN1 · Mar 27, 2011

Hey, I was the one with the 30 minute OASIS! That was only 30 mintues to answer the M items, not to complete an entire assessment of a patient and to document. The 30 minutes OASIS shows how to combine your assessment of items so that you're not using the OASIS as a checklist and essentially assessing the same things five different times. I never said that anyone can complete an assessment in 30 minutes! If you follow the basic guidelines of that document, you *can* get the M items answered in 30 minutes or less with a cooperative patient.

OTOH, the OASIS is not a complete assessment and is required to be incorporated into a complete assessment, which includes a physical exam of all body systems. Plus, each agency has their own specific documentation that also needs to be completed. I don't think that anyone can do a thorough and complete SOC in under an hour. I have been doing this many years, document to meet the burden of Medicare documentation, and it still takes at least 2 hours in the home and another hour of documentation time to complete a SOC OASIS.

Also, a little knowledge of OASIS is a dangerous thing and will lead you in the wrong direction. Go to the OASIS guidance at the CMS website and read the guidance manual. Many of the M questions are asking something totally different than what it appears they are asking. It is very confusing and every quarter, OASIS Answers publishes new guidance to assist with difficulties in completing the document correctly.

I've always said that it's about a six month learning curve for full-time employees. Once you hit that six month mark, you look back and can see that you've come so far. If you're only part time or less, it may take longer. Be proactive and learn all that you can if you want to stay in this field.