OASIS · Section M
M1860 — Ambulation/Locomotion
Response options, how to score it, and the error that most often sends the record back. Cited to Ch. 3, Item M1860.
Response options
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Able to independently walk on even and uneven surfaces and negotiate stairs with or without railings |
| 1 | Requires use of a device (e.g., cane, walker) to walk alone or requires human supervision or assistance to negotiate stairs |
| 2 | Able to walk only with the supervision or assistance of another person at all times |
| 3 | Chairfast, unable to ambulate but is able to wheel self independently |
| 4 | Chairfast, unable to ambulate and is unable to wheel self |
| 5 | Bedfast, unable to ambulate or be up in a chair |
How to score it
Assess ability to walk and navigate the home environment including stairs, if applicable. Score usual performance over the past 14 days (or since SOC). Assess on the MOST challenging surface/terrain encountered in the patient's daily routine. See Guidance Manual Ch. 3 for full item guidance.
The common error
Scoring only flat-surface ambulation when the patient's home has stairs. The item requires assessment on all surfaces the patient encounters in daily life.
CMS Q&As on this item
- Q154.1 Does the usual status convention apply to all patients: ambulatory, chairfast and bedfast, when scoring M1860…
- Q155.1.01 My patient does not have an assistive device but demonstrates the ability to walk safely constantly holding…
- Q155.1.1 When looking at the use of a cane to ambulate, how would the canes used by the blind to navigate be…
- Q155.2 For M1860 - Ambulation/Locomotion, does able to walk “on even and uneven surfaces” mean inside the home or…
- Q155.3 A patient is able to ambulate independently with a walker, but the patient chooses to not use the walker…
- Q155.3.1 We have a patient who is ambulating in the home. The clinician assesses that the patient is not safe…
- Q155.3.2 What is the correct response for M1860 - Ambulation/Locomotion, for a patient who ambulates safely with a…
- Q155.3.3 Our patient requires maximum assistance to ambulate (over 75% of the effort necessary for ambulation is…
- Q155.3.4 If a patient is safely using a knee scooter to facilitate non-weight bearing on one lower extremity, what…
- Q155.3.5 Patient is wheelchair bound and cannot ambulate but can wheel self. Patient also has advanced dementia or…
Source: OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual — Ch. 3, Item M1860. Verified 2026-04-26.
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