About the Author

Mark Aquino RN

Mark Aquino is a registered nurse in California with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing and Masters of Health Administration from West Coast University. He has at least 4 years of experience in the front lines as a visiting nurse in home health and hospice care, and counting, as he still continues to visit patients at the time of this writing. He is author of OASIS NINJA: A Home Health Nurse’s Guide to Visits, Documentation, and Positive Patient Outcomes. This guide provides nurses with the information they need to provide quality care to their patients in the comfort of their own homes. He also writes books about how to live a good life and how to improve yourself on a daily basis. Learn more at OasisNinja.com.

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  Chapter 1 – Introduction – What is OASIS
  Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) If you’re a home health care provider, completing the OASIS tool… Read more: Chapter 1 – Introduction – What is OASIS
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  Chapter 2 – What is Home Health Care?
  What is Home Health Care? Home health care is medical care that is delivered to a patient’s… Read more: Chapter 2 – What is Home Health Care?
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  Chapter 3 – What Makes a Great Home Health Nurse?
  If you are considering a career in home health care, here are some things to keep in… Read more: Chapter 3 – What Makes a Great Home Health Nurse?
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  Chapter 32 – Writing a SOAP Note for Registered Nurses
  Writing a SOAP Note for Registered Nurses SOAP notes are standardized and organized patient progress notes that… Read more: Chapter 32 – Writing a SOAP Note for Registered Nurses
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  Chapter 4 – Home Health and CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are federal agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and… Read more: Chapter 4 – Home Health and CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
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  Chapter 25 – Head to Toe Assessment for Nurses
  Head to Toe Assessment for Nurses Performing a head to toe assessment is an essential skill for… Read more: Chapter 25 – Head to Toe Assessment for Nurses
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  Where to Recruit Staff for Home Health
  One of the first questions you must ask yourself is where to recruit staff for your home… Read more: Where to Recruit Staff for Home Health
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  Chapter 5 – Changes to OASIS E-1 Documentation
  There are changes to OASIS and how they may affect agencies and clinicians. Changes start after January… Read more: Chapter 5 – Changes to OASIS E-1 Documentation
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  Chapter 6 – What is OASIS E-1?
  OASIS E-1 is one of the new standards set by OASIS. This certification will be given to… Read more: Chapter 6 – What is OASIS E-1?
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  Chapter 7 – New OASIS Items and Retired Items
  OASIS E-1 is a nationally implemented instrument that has 27 new items. This update will add several… Read more: Chapter 7 – New OASIS Items and Retired Items
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  Chapter 9 – What is a SOAP NOTE – SOAP Notes for Physical Assessment
  The SOAP note includes the subjective information from the patient. The introductory statement summarizes the patient’s description… Read more: Chapter 9 – What is a SOAP NOTE – SOAP Notes for Physical Assessment
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  Chapter 10 – The Three Phases of the Nurse-Client Relationship
  In the nursing profession, establishing a nurse-client relationship involves several phases. According to Peplau, the nurse-client relationship… Read more: Chapter 10 – The Three Phases of the Nurse-Client Relationship
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  Chapter 11 – Therapeutic Communication – Improving Therapeutic Communication
  If you want to improve your patient’s safety and cooperation, you need to be more effective at… Read more: Chapter 11 – Therapeutic Communication – Improving Therapeutic Communication
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  Chapter 12 – Importance of Active Listening
  It is not just a good way to reduce conflict in the workplace, but also a great… Read more: Chapter 12 – Importance of Active Listening
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  Chapter 13 – How to Use Silence Effectively – Intentional Silence
  Intentional silence is an effective form of therapeutic communication. If you find yourself unable to say anything… Read more: Chapter 13 – How to Use Silence Effectively – Intentional Silence
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  Chapter 15 – Stress Management for Nurses
  Many factors can contribute to effective stress management for nurses. One of these factors is the role… Read more: Chapter 15 – Stress Management for Nurses
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  Chapter 17 – Improving Your Emotional Self-Regulation
  A key component of managing your stress is emotion regulation. When our bodies experience high levels of… Read more: Chapter 17 – Improving Your Emotional Self-Regulation
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  Chapter 16 – Time Management For Nurses – Effective Use of Time
  How Time Management Can Help You Get More Done in Less Time Learning effective time management can… Read more: Chapter 16 – Time Management For Nurses – Effective Use of Time
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  Chapter 22 – Driving Safety For Home Health Nurses
  The need for in-home care is increasing, thanks to a booming aging population and fear of contagion.… Read more: Chapter 22 – Driving Safety For Home Health Nurses
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  Chapter 14 – Nontherapeutic Communication – What to Avoid
  There are many types of nontherapeutic communication techniques including False Reassurances, Overloading, and Judging. These can be… Read more: Chapter 14 – Nontherapeutic Communication – What to Avoid
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  Chapter 18 – How to Read a History and Physical Examination (H&P)
  An H&P is a written report of a patient’s health condition. A H&P can vary in length,… Read more: Chapter 18 – How to Read a History and Physical Examination (H&P)
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  Chapter 19 – Pathophysiology – Importance in Home Health
  The three Ps of nursing education – Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and Physical Assessment – are all incredibly important… Read more: Chapter 19 – Pathophysiology – Importance in Home Health
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  Chapter 20 – Pharmacology – Medications to Review
  A sound understanding of pharmacology is essential for nurses. This will ensure minimal errors. Nurses are expected… Read more: Chapter 20 – Pharmacology – Medications to Review
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  Chapter 21 – Physical Assessment – Importance for Nurses
  The importance of a thorough physical assessment for nurses cannot be overstated. By performing a complete physical… Read more: Chapter 21 – Physical Assessment – Importance for Nurses
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  Chapter 23 – Home Safety For Patients and Nurses
  Managing patient safety in the home is a vital part of providing quality care at home. There… Read more: Chapter 23 – Home Safety For Patients and Nurses
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  Chapter 24 – The Bag Technique for Home Health Nurses
  When caring for a patient, hand hygiene is critical to the prevention of infection. You will learn… Read more: Chapter 24 – The Bag Technique for Home Health Nurses
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  Chapter 26 – Medication Reconciliation For Nurses
  Nurses can easily perform medication reconciliation, but there are several barriers that may prevent this vital task… Read more: Chapter 26 – Medication Reconciliation For Nurses
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  Chapter 27 – Some Common Medication Classifications
  There are many different classes of drugs, each with its own unique classification and effect on the… Read more: Chapter 27 – Some Common Medication Classifications
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  Chapter 28 – What Is Durable Medical Equipment (DME)?
  DME stands for durable medical equipment. It is a reusable device that provides a therapeutic benefit to… Read more: Chapter 28 – What Is Durable Medical Equipment (DME)?
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  Chapter 29 – Nursing Diagnosis
  A nursing diagnosis can be a part of the nursing process. Nursing diagnosis is a clinical judgment… Read more: Chapter 29 – Nursing Diagnosis
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  Chapter 30 – Nursing Interventions
  The term “Nursing Interventions” refers to a system of care classifications. Each classification describes the activities that… Read more: Chapter 30 – Nursing Interventions
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  Chapter 31 – Psychomotor Skills for Nurses
  It is not enough for nurses to have knowledge, but be able to perform certain psychomotor skills… Read more: Chapter 31 – Psychomotor Skills for Nurses
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  Chapter 33 – Five Star Rating Considerations For Home Health Agencies
  Consumers often wonder how to go about assessing home health care providers based on star ratings. Care… Read more: Chapter 33 – Five Star Rating Considerations For Home Health Agencies
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  Chapter 34 – Quality Assurance in Home Health
  What is the role of Quality Assurance in Home Health? What do the outcomes look like?What is… Read more: Chapter 34 – Quality Assurance in Home Health
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  Chapter 35 – Mastering Your Agency’s EMR
  We’ll discuss lessons learned from hundreds of EMR implementations and the benefits and drawbacks of mastering a… Read more: Chapter 35 – Mastering Your Agency’s EMR
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  Chapter 36 – The SBAR Communication Technique for Reporting
  This is an overview of Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation (SBAR) and how it can improve interprofessional… Read more: Chapter 36 – The SBAR Communication Technique for Reporting
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  Chapter 37 – The Role of Case Management in Home Health
  It is important for nurses to know the various roles in a home health agency in order… Read more: Chapter 37 – The Role of Case Management in Home Health
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  Chapter 38 – What is SN in Home Health Skilled Nursing?
  SN is short for skilled nursing. An SN can either be an RN or LVN. RN visits… Read more: Chapter 38 – What is SN in Home Health Skilled Nursing?
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  Chapter 39 – What Is a Home Health Aide?
  Home health aides typically perform unskilled patient care intermittently (as opposed to continuously) around 30 to 45… Read more: Chapter 39 – What Is a Home Health Aide?
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  Chapter 40 – The Role of the Physical Therapist in Home Health
  Home health physical therapy involves a licensed therapist coming to a patient’s home to provide individualized treatment… Read more: Chapter 40 – The Role of the Physical Therapist in Home Health
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  Chapter 41 – What Is Home Health Occupational Therapy?
  Occupational therapists are trained professionals who assess a patient’s functional needs and help them learn new skills.… Read more: Chapter 41 – What Is Home Health Occupational Therapy?
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  Chapter 42 – What is a Speech Therapist in Home Health?
  A speech therapist, also known as a ST, is a member of the health care team that… Read more: Chapter 42 – What is a Speech Therapist in Home Health?
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  Chapter 43 – Medical Social Worker in Home Health
  Duties A medical social worker (MSW) in a home health care setting performs a variety of important… Read more: Chapter 43 – Medical Social Worker in Home Health
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  Chapter 44 – Director of Nursing (DON/DPCS) in Home Health
  The Director of Nursing (DON) or sometimes referred to as Director of Patient Care Services DPCS) is… Read more: Chapter 44 – Director of Nursing (DON/DPCS) in Home Health
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  Chapter 45 – Primary Care Provider Roles (PCP)
  A primary care provider is one of the most important doctors in a patient’s health care system.… Read more: Chapter 45 – Primary Care Provider Roles (PCP)
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  Chapter 46 – What Is a Primary Caregiver (PCG)
  Primary caregivers (PCGs) are the people most often in personal contact with the patient in their homes.… Read more: Chapter 46 – What Is a Primary Caregiver (PCG)
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  Chapter 47 – The Role of the Pharmacy
  Dispensing The pharmacy is an outside agency apart from the home health agency. The pharmacy is responsible… Read more: Chapter 47 – The Role of the Pharmacy
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  Chapter 48 – What is Motivation?
  There are countless theories of human motivation, each of which sheds light on some aspect of it… Read more: Chapter 48 – What is Motivation?
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  Chapter 49 – Motivating Yourself As a Nurse
  You can find nursing jobs all over the country. Finding your own unique purpose in life will… Read more: Chapter 49 – Motivating Yourself As a Nurse
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  Chapter 50 – Strategies For Motivating Your Patients
  This chapter discusses strategies for motivating your patients. These include building rapport, using mirror neurons, and setting… Read more: Chapter 50 – Strategies For Motivating Your Patients
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  Chapter 51 – How to Motivate Your Coworkers
  Here are some ways to motivate them and increase their commitment to the team. As a leader,… Read more: Chapter 51 – How to Motivate Your Coworkers
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  Chapter 52 – Philosophy of Nursing Ideals and Beliefs
  The philosophy of nursing is very personal to each and every nurse. There is no right or… Read more: Chapter 52 – Philosophy of Nursing Ideals and Beliefs
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  Chapter 53 – The Importance of Self Care for Nurses
  The importance of self care for nurses is often underestimated or ignored by professional nurses. Taking breaks… Read more: Chapter 53 – The Importance of Self Care for Nurses
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  Chapter 54 – Being a Lifelong Learner As a Nurse
  Embracing a growth mindset is essential to being a lifelong learner in your career. It also means… Read more: Chapter 54 – Being a Lifelong Learner As a Nurse
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  Preface
  Welcome to OASIS Ninja: A Home Health Nurse’s Guide to Visits, Documentation, and Positive Patient Outcomes. This… Read more: Preface
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  Checklist
  Download the Comprehensive SOC Checklist (PDF): Click here to download the Simple SOC Checklist
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  Chapter 8 – The SOC Checklist in SOAP Format
  Below is a sample checklist in SOAP format for gathering OASIS data that I personally use which… Read more: Chapter 8 – The SOC Checklist in SOAP Format
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  EMPATHIC Ninja – Chapter 1 – How Being Empathic Helps You Deal With Difficult People
  Empathizing with other people helps you diffuse conflict, prevent overcritical behavior, and propose compromise. While empathy is… Read more: EMPATHIC Ninja – Chapter 1 – How Being Empathic Helps You Deal With Difficult People
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  EMPATHIC Ninja – Chapter 2 – What is Empathy, What Are Benefits of Empathy, and How Do You Be More Empathic?
  Empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s experience, and to feel their feelings. This ability allows… Read more: EMPATHIC Ninja – Chapter 2 – What is Empathy, What Are Benefits of Empathy, and How Do You Be More Empathic?
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  EMPATHIC Ninja – Chapter 3 – E is for Emotion Regulation – How to Be Cool, Calm, and Collected
  The aim of this chapter is to explore the role of emotions in interpersonal relationships and the… Read more: EMPATHIC Ninja – Chapter 3 – E is for Emotion Regulation – How to Be Cool, Calm, and Collected
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  EMPATHIC Ninja – Chapter 4 – M is for Mental Health
  Good mental health is a prerequisite to healthy social interactions. Many poor social relationships can be linked… Read more: EMPATHIC Ninja – Chapter 4 – M is for Mental Health
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  Top Benefits Being a Home Health Nurse
  Benefits of Home Health Care Nursing It’s always important to find a good health care professional. The… Read more: Top Benefits Being a Home Health Nurse
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  Benefits of Empathy
  12 Benefits of Empathy 2023. By Mark Aquino RN – Home Health Registered Nurse in California. Author… Read more: Benefits of Empathy
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  Chapter 5 – P is for Purpose – Have Meaning in Your Life and How to Know Yourself
  Benefits of Finding Purpose in Life Finding your purpose goes a long way in learning to deal… Read more: Chapter 5 – P is for Purpose – Have Meaning in Your Life and How to Know Yourself
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  Chapter 6 – A is for Actualization – Live Your Purpose Through Self-Actualization
  The term “self-actualization” means living the way you were created. It encompasses many aspects of self-actualization, including… Read more: Chapter 6 – A is for Actualization – Live Your Purpose Through Self-Actualization

Oasis Ninja – Contents

Preface
About the Author
SECTION 1 – Fundamentals
Chapter 1 – Introduction – What is OASIS
What is Home Health Care
What Makes a Great Home Health Nurse
Home Health and CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
Changes to OASIS E-1 Documentation
What is OASIS E-1?
New OASIS Items and Retired Items
Chapter 8 – The SOC Checklist in SOAP Format
What is a SOAP NOTE – SOAP Notes for Physical Assessment

SECTION 2 – Before the Visit – Preparing to deal with people well in the home
The Three Phases of the Nurse-Client Relationship
Therapeutic Communication – Improving Therapeutic Communication
How to Use Silence Effectively – Intentional silence
Importance of Active Listening
Nontherapeutic Communication
Stress Management for Nurses
Time Management For Nurses – Effective Use of Time
Improving Your Emotional Self-Regulation
How to Read a History and Physical Examination (H&P)
Pathophysiology – Importance in Home Health
Pharmacology – Medications to Review
Physical Assessment – Importance for Nurses
Driving Safety For Home Health Nurses

SECTION 3 – During the Visit – Being Present with the Patient
Home Safety For Patients and Nurses
The Bag Technique for Home Health Nurses
Head to Toe Assessment for Nurses
Medication Reconciliation For Nurses
Some Common Medication Classifications
What Is Durable Medical Equipment (DME)?
Nursing Diagnosis
Nursing Interventions
Psychomotor Skills for Nurses

SECTION 4 – After the Visit – Documentation and Communication
Writing a SOAP Note for Registered Nurses
Five Star Rating Considerations For Home Health Agencies
Quality Assurance in Home Health
Mastering Your Agency’s EMR
The SBAR Communication Technique for Reporting
The Role of Case Management in Home Health
What is SN in Home Health Skilled Nursing?
What Is a Home Health Aide?
The Role of the Physical Therapist in Home Health
What Is a Home Health Occupational Therapy?
What is a Speech Therapist in Home Health?
Medical Social Worker in Home Health
Director of Nursing (DON/DPCS) in Home Health
Primary Care Provider Roles (PCP)
What Is a Primary Caregiver (PCG)
The Role of the Pharmacy

SECTION 5 – Conclusion – Motivation – Motivating Yourself, Motivating Your Patients, and Motivating Other Team Members, Plus Resources for Further Study
Chapter 48 – What is Motivation?
Chapter 49 – Motivating Yourself As a Nurse
Chapter 50 – Strategies For Motivating Your Patients
Chapter 51 – How to Motivate Your Coworkers
Chapter 52 – Philosophy of Nursing Ideals and Beliefs
Chapter 53 – The Importance of Self Care for Nurses
Chapter 54 – Being a Lifelong Learner As a Nurse

Section 6 – Appendix A – Download the SOC Checklist Here

Section 7 – Selected References

Bonus Chapter(s):
Where to Recruit Staff for Home Health

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