Journey Nursing Service’s ultimate goal is to ensure that our clients and staff are safe. As you enter into a care contract with us, it’s important to understand that your home also becomes a place of business and there is an expectation that safe and respectful decisions are being made.
When our clinical care coordinator or nurse case manager visits, they will assess the home for safety risks. This includes checking for the presence of smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, ensuring that oxygen is stored correctly, and identifying any trip hazards. We aim to identify risks that could cause injury to clients and ensure they have the appropriate resources available.
Fall Reduction
Patient safety is of utmost importance. One of the biggest risks of injury that patients face at home is falling. To mitigate this risk, it is essential to ensure that all patients have appropriate transfer plans in place and that caregivers are adequately trained to perform these transfers safely.
There may be instances when it is necessary to have an occupational therapist conduct a transfer safety evaluation. If a patient requires lifting, it indicates that they do not have an appropriate transfer plan in place and are at increased risk for injury.
Care providers should never lift patients by themselves, as this puts both the patient and the caregiver at risk of harm. Evaluations will determine whether a patient requires a one- or two-person assist or if they need mobility equipment such as a slide board, pivot pole, or Hoyer lift.
Medication Safety Education
It is important to make sure that clients have proper medication safety plans in place. This includes taking the correct medications, the right dosage, and adhering to the scheduled times for medication intake. Medication errors at home can frequently put seniors at risk. Individuals may miss doses or accidentally take medications multiple times if they forget whether they have already taken them. Such mistakes can lead to serious injuries or even death and are entirely preventable with a medication safety plan.
It’s important to ensure that the correct medications are being given to prevent adverse reactions. If you have questions about medication safety, we can arrange for a nurse to help make sure you have the right medications. The nurse can also set up monthly medication packages/pillboxes and supervise caregivers administering medications to those who are no longer able to manage their medications safely and independently.
We utilize a Medication Administration Record (MAR) to help you keep track of what medications are taken and how often. We also use a medication count sheet for controlled substances like narcotics or benzodiazepines, which should be counted regularly.
When we administer medications, we document everything in our electronic medical record system.
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