Home Health Nursing Certification
With baby boomers entering retirement in droves, the demand for home health care continues to grow. Home health nursing professionals may prepare themselves with a variety of certifications to ensure they provide an optimal level of care.-
CNA
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Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) may receive training from online and traditional vocational schools. After completion, a CNA is able to help patients with activities of daily living.
OASIS
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The Outcome Assessment Information Set (OASIS) is a series of questions patients must answer upon admission or discharge from home health services. Anyone interested in OASIS may be certified, but becoming a Certified OASIS Specialist -- Clinical (COS-C) is limited to registered nurses (RNs).
Coding
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Home health nurses who desire in-depth knowledge of diagnosis coding may pursue Home Care Specialist -- Diagnosis (HCS-D) certification. This will help them deal with issues that are prevalent among home health care patients, such as diabetes and congestive heart failure.
RN
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RNs must perform the admittance visit for new home health care patients. They will have completed either an associate's or bachelor's degree program.
LVN/LPN
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A licensed vocational nurse (LVN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) perform daily nursing assessments required for home health care patients. These home visits are too complex for CNAs, but don't require the skill of an RN.
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