Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. HOME INFUSION NURSE RESPONSIBILITIES POLICY AND PROCEDURE Purpose To ensure that the prescribed IV Care is administered and to comply with safe standards of care. Policy This Agency will clearly delineate the responsibilities of the Licensed Infusion Nurse (Home Infusion Nurse). Procedure 1. Upon admission of patient for IV services the Home Infusion, Nurse will: a. Obtain a physician's order that is written specifically for Home Intravenous Therapy. b. Ensure that the physician's order clearly state and include IV solutions to be used additives, rate, flow, volume, and length of therapy, Heparin flush and its frequency, strength, methods location site, size of needle treatment to site and dressing. 2. Ensure all products are inspected for integrity and stability. 3. Assess home environment for safety regarding home intravenous therapy, storing equipment availability (refrigeration as indicated of solutions/medication solutions). 4. RN will assess and document on ''Patient/Family assessment of IV Therapy'' form to assess Patient/Family ability to be instructed on performance of skill. 5. Adhere to Infection Control Policies. 6. Adhere to Agency's policy and procedures regarding IV Therapy. 7. Know Patients allergy profile and notify pharmacy of all patient's allergies. 8. Be knowledgeable of signs and symptoms of drug allergic responses. A Registered Nurse shall be available through all clinical aspects of intravenous administration are available 24 hours per day. Care coordination shall be provided in order to assure continuity of care. An ongoing assessment of Patient and/or caregiver compliance in performing therapy related procedures shall be done at periodic intervals depending on patient condition and therapy. The Nursing Board recognizes that through appropriate education and training, a Licensed Practical Nurse is capable of performing intravenous therapy via central lines under the direction of a registered professional nurse. Appropriate education and training requires a minimum of four (4) hours of instruction. The requisite four ( 4) hours of instruction may be included as part of the thirty (30) hours required for intravenous therapy education. (4) Educational Alternatives. The cognitive training shall include one or more of the following: Post-graduate Level Course, in recognition that the curriculum requirements, for practical nursing programs are extensive and that every licensed practical nurse will not administer IV Therapy, the course necessary to qualify a licensed practical nurse or graduate practical nurse to administer IV therapy shall be not less than a thirty (30) hour post-graduate level course teaching aspects of IV therapy containing the required components. Home Health Agency Nursing Manual J-34