OASIS · Section M
M1850 — Transferring
Response options, how to score it, and the error that most often sends the record back. Cited to Ch. 3, Item M1850.
Response options
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Able to independently transfer |
| 1 | Transfers with minimal human assistance or with use of an assistive device |
| 2 | Unable to transfer self but is able to bear weight and pivot during the transfer process |
| 3 | Unable to transfer self and is unable to bear weight or pivot when transferred by another person |
| 4 | Bedfast, unable to transfer but is able to turn and position self in bed |
| 5 | Bedfast, unable to transfer and is unable to turn and position self |
How to score it
Assess moving between surfaces — e.g., bed to chair, chair to standing. Score based on usual performance. 'Minimal assistance' (response 1) means the clinician provides hands-on support for safety or stability but the patient does most of the work. See Guidance Manual Ch. 3 for full item guidance.
The common error
Confusing 'supervision only' with 'minimal assistance' — supervision without hands-on contact should be scored as '1' (assistive device or human assist). Bedfast patients must be assessed at '4' or '5' based on ability to reposition.
CMS Q&As on this item
- Q150.1 When completing M1850 - Transferring, do I consider the patient’s gait impairment if they must ambulate 12…
- Q151.1 When scoring M1850 - Transferring, response 1 indicates that that patient requires minimal human assistance…
- Q151.3 A quadriplegic is totally dependent, cannot even turn self in bed, however, they do get up to a gerichair by…
- Q151.4 How do you select a score for M1850 - Transferring, for the patient who is not really safe at response 1, but…
- Q151.6 When scoring M1850 - Transferring, the assessment revealed difficulty with transfers. The patient was toe…
- Q151.6.1 When answering M1850 - Transferring, do the responses that reference weight bearing and pivoting include an…
- Q151.7 For M1850 - Transferring, does the transfer from bed to chair include evaluation from a seated position in…
- Q151.7.1 Is M1850 - Transferring assessed for the patient who has slept for years in a recliner?
- Q151.7.2 How do we score M1850 - Transferring, when the patient is temporarily sleeping in the recliner because there…
- Q151.14 M1850 & M1860. How is “bedfast” defined for M1850 - Transferring and M1860 Ambulation/Locomotion? Do I only…
Source: OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual — Ch. 3, Item M1850. Verified 2026-04-26.
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