The First 5 Domains of the COS-C Exam

by Megan Bernier, MSPT RAC-CT CHS-C COS-C

How to Prepare for the Certificate for OASIS Specialist – Clinical (COS-C) Exam:

Part 5 – The First 5 Domains of the Exam

Have you been considering sitting for the COS-C Exam but aren’t sure how to begin preparing or what material would be helpful? This blog series discusses who should consider sitting for the exam, what materials you might find helpful to have at hand when studying and sitting for the exam, some tips for preparing for the exam, and provides a breakdown of the COS-C Exam.

The questions in the COS-C Exam come from 10 different domains. In this blog we will review the first five domains and the type of questions that could be included.

Time Points & Patient Populations:
This Domain will test your knowledge of situations and events which trigger mandatory OASIS data collection as well as knowledge regarding which patients require OASIS data collection. To prepare for questions about time points make sure to have a solid understanding when OASIS data must be collected and when it would not. Scenarios could include information about a patient’s age, payer, discharging facility services that are ordered events that have occurred.
Administrative & Patient Tracking Items
This Domain tests on CMS OASIS guidance related to coding items collecting information on patient characteristics and demographics. Questions may be related to OASIS items such as A1005 – Ethnicity, M0090 – Date Assessment Completed, and M1100 – Patient Living situation.
Regulations
The Regulations Domain covers guidance related to the OASIS CMS regulations regarding AOSIS data collection. To be successful with questions from this domain, ensure a good working knowledge of the Condition of Participation, Section 484.55. It will be important to be able to discern between federal regulations and agency policy.
Diagnosis & Sensory Items
This Domain tests your knowledge of OASIS item-specific guidance and scoring conventions for items that collect data on a patient’s sensory status, such as hearing, vision, pain, and items related to reporting of the patient diagnoses.
Bowel & Bladder, Nutrition & Wounds
This Domain covers items related to nutrition, incontinence, UTIs, and the OASIS integumentary items related to pressure ulcers (M1306-M1324), stasis ulcers (M1330-M1332), and surgical wounds (M1340-M1342).

In the final blog of this series, we will take a brief look final at OASIS items and types of questions contained in last five Domains in the COS-C Exam.

Additional information related to the COS-C Exam can be found on the COS-C Overview webpage. Additional information related to the COS-C Exam Domains including sample exam questions can be found on COS-C Exam Preparation webpage.

Series: How to Prepare for the Certificate for OASIS Specialist – Clinical (COS-C) Exam

This blog series discusses who should consider sitting for the exam, what materials you might find helpful to have at hand when studying and sitting for the exam, some tips for preparing for the exam, and provides a breakdown of the COS-C Exam.