Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. PATIENT EDUCATION PURPOSE: To uphold the patient’s right to be involved, when appropriate, in his/her care, treatment and/or service decisions. To provide patients/families/caregivers with sufficient information to make informed decisions and to take responsibility for self-management/management activities relative to the patient needs, and appropriate to the care, safety measures, treatment and/or services provided. To improve patient outcomes by educating the patient and family/caregiver with the patient’s permission, as appropriate, by promoting recovery, life-style modifications and healthy/safely behavior utilizing a multidisciplinary approach. POLICY: All patients admitted to MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. for care, treatment and/or services and/or family members/caregivers are provided with appropriate education and training specific to needs identified during the initial and ongoing assessments, learning preferences and readiness to learn as appropriate to the care, treatment and/or services provided by MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. Assessment of the patient’s needs, readiness and ability to learn should take into account the patient’s/family member’s/caregiver’s literacy and educational level, age specific/ developmental needs, cultural, religious and ethnic considerations, emotional barriers and motivators, physical or cognitive limitations, and the financial impact of care, treatment and/or service decisions. The Director of Education/Staff Development assures that up-to-date educational resources are readily available for staff to use in teaching patients. The educational resources are available in a language and/or format that can be readily understood or can be adapted to be understood by the patient/family/caregiver as well as staff involved in teaching the patient/family/caregiver. Resources that may be used to educate patients/family members/caregivers include, but are not limited to: Written materials in an easily understood language and/or format Video or audio tapes Special devices/aids for sensory impaired patients and those patients with special communication needs Lists of available community resources to assist in meeting the patient’s needs Skilled nurses, therapists and social workers are evaluated at least annually and more often if necessary as to their competency to provide effective and appropriate patient education to a cross-section of the patient population served by MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. PROCEDURE: The patient/family are provided with information in the admission packet regarding the following: Home Health Agency Nursing Manual J-45