Hospital Home Health Archives – August 1, 2003
August 1, 2003
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Is your home health nurse using drugs? Testing promotes safety, limits liability
Six percent of home care, community, and public health nurses in the United States use addictive prescription drugs without a prescription, and 16% binge drink, which means they drink at least five drinks in one sitting. -
Note behavior; physical signs for cause testing
Requiring an employee to be tested for drugs or alcohol on the basis of reasonable cause means more than following just a hunch, says Arlene Maxim, RN, a home care consultant in Grand Rapids, MI. Maxim has documented some of the signs to watch for in a handout she uses at seminars and for clients called Reasonable Cause Checklist for the Supervisor. -
Building relationships, skills keep aides at work
This is the first of a two-part series that looks at home health aide retention issues such as training, supervision, and benefits. In this article, experts talk about factors that motivate and retain aides. In next months article, innovative programs that enhance aide education and tips on improving retention will be presented. -
Pets can benefit patients, but prepare staff for care
The benefit of animal companions for cardiac patients was documented as long ago as 1995 in a study that showed the one-year survival rate for heart attack patients who owned pets was significantly higher than for heart attack patients who did not own pets. -
Telehealth: Limiting the liability of abandonment
This is the second of a two-part LegalEase column that addresses home health agency risk management concerns related to telehealth. Last months article examined liability related to negligence and offered tips on how home health agency managers can protect their agencies. This months column covers how agencies can protect themselves from charges of abandonment. -
News briefs
CMS: 3.3% rise in home health payment rates; No quick end to nursing shortage, new report says