Throughout the communities we serve, Post Acute Medical offers hope and acts as a catalyst for achieving an optimal quality of life by:
- Focusing on putting the patient first and providing quality care for the medically complex (LTACH) and rehabilitation patients.
- Providing comprehensive, individualized treatment including PT, OT Speech and specialty physicians and nurses.
- Returning each patient to their highest possible functional status.
Our mission:
Post Acute Medical is committed to providing high quality patient care and outstanding customer service, coupled with loyalty and dedication of highly trained staff, to be the most trusted source for post-acute services in every community it serves.
Our vision:
The Post Acute Medical system continues to build upon its history as a respected provider of quality healthcare services by continuing to develop an environment that fosters meaningful improvement and recovery for people with injuries, illness and disabilities.
Patient Care
Commitment to Excellence
The purpose of the We Care program is to make sure that we are providing the highest quality of care for our patients. By providing service with C.A.R.E.- Connect, Anticipate needs, Reassure, Exit Warmly, the patient will feel valued and that they are receiving the very best clinical and emotional support possible. Listen with H.E.A.R.T. to alleviate patient anxiety and fears by Hearing them, use Empathy, Apologize, Respond with a solution, and Thank them for voicing their concern.
Consents
The consent of the patient or the legal guardian must be obtained before any medical, invasive or surgical treatment is undertaken; unless an emergency justifies treatment without consent. It is the physician's responsibility to inform the patient of 1) alternative treatments, 2) risks, 3) potential benefits, and 4) the possibility that blood or blood products may be administered. This is confirmed by a hospital consent form signed by the patient and witnessed by a nurse. The licensed nurse obtains and witnesses the signature of the consent only after any questions have been answered to the patient's satisfaction by the physician. *Student nurses are not permitted to witness or obtain consents.
Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibility
The patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities tells a patient and their family what they can expect of caregivers and what caregivers expect of them. Patients receive a copy of their rights and responsibilities at the time of admission, and they are available to them throughout their hospitalization. The Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities is also posted on the walls of most patient care units. Patients have a fundamental right to considerate care that safeguards their personal dignity and respects their cultural, psychosocial, and spiritual values. Student nurses may not perform the initial assessment of patients.
ENVIRONMENT OF CARE/SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Fire or Smoke in your area
1. Locate the fire extinguishers and red fire alarm pull boxes on your unit. In case of fire or smoke in your area, do not shout "FIRE!" stay calm.
a. REMOVE - Get everyone away from immediate danger.
b. ALARM - Activate the alarm by pulling lever on nearest red alarm box or using nearest phone: Dial 0 or 911: Upon answer, explain you have a fire and give location.
c.CONFINE - Close doors and windows to keep fire and smoke from spreading. d. EXTINGUISH - Attempt to extinguish the fire if it is small and confined.
3. Use the fire extinguisher properly (PASS)
a. PULL the pin.
b. AIM the extinguisher low, point the nozzle at the base of the fire.
c. SQUEEZE the handle to release the extinguishing agent.
d. SWEEP back and forth as you walk backward away from the area.
Electrical Equipment Safety
Check connections and chords for the following:
a. Be alert for damaged cords, plugs, and outlets.
b. Avoid using extension cords.
c. Keep cords out of the way of traffic.
2. Use Equipment Safety:
a. Read and follow all instructions posted on equipment.
b. Don't put anything wet on electrical equipment.
c. Turn equipment off before unplugging.
d. Always unplug by pulling the plug, not the cord.
e. Don't use any equipment that sparks or gives the slightest shock.
f. Never try to repair equipment - contact Biomedical or Engineering.
3. Electrical equipment brought in by patients, i.e. hair dryers, electric razors, etc.
a. Any equipment brought in from home by patients must be assessed by the Engineering/Plant Operations department for safety prior to patient using item.
Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
1. SDS sheets describe the hazards of chemicals that an employee uses on the job.
2. SDS sheets are located in the Plant Operations Office in Administration in the yellow binder.
3. If more information is needed, check with the charge nurse on duty.
Hazardous Material/Spill Response Plan
1. Contact the charge nurse for specific information if:
A. you are unfamiliar with clean-up procedure.
B. chemical spill is over one gallon.
C. chemical is highly toxic/volatile.
2. Chemical Spills - All chemical spills are contained according to OSHA guidelines and following procedures as outlined on the SDS sheet.
3. Biohazard Spills
a. Use personal protective clothing and equipment.
b. Contain spill and prevent splashes by covering with paper towel or disposable cloth.
c. Pour generous amounts of disinfectant onto the contaminated surface.
d. Allow disinfectant to sit on spill for at least 10 minutes.
e. Broken glassware should be removed carefully with disinfectant soaked gauze and placed into an impervious sharps container.
f. Carefully wipe up and dispose of contaminated material into marked Biohazard waste container. Rinse area with soap and water. Dry with mop or paper towel.
Waste Disposal
1. Regulated or biohazard waste is defined as liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials; contaminated items that would release blood or other potentially infectious materials in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed; items that are caked with dried blood or other potentially infectious materials and are capable of releasing these materials during handling; contaminated sharps; and pathological and microbiological wastes containing blood or other potentially infectious materials.
2. Regulated or biohazard waste must be disposed of in the appropriate container. Sharps containers are available in every room for disposal of sharp items, such as needles with syringes, etc. Other biohazard waste is placed in a red bag and then into the biohazard containers in the dirty utility room.
3. Blue bags are for dirty linen and clear bags are for regular trash.
Smoking Policy
It is the intent of the hospital to provide a safe, healthy environment for patients, visitors, employees, students and physicians. Our goal is to have a smoke-free environment. Smoking is PROHIBITED on hospital property.
Bomb Threat
When a call is received in a work area, have a co-worker notify the following person's that a bomb threat is in progress:
1 Charge Nurse, AOC & Plant OPs
2. Police / 911.
Using the Bomb Threat Policy, get as much information about the caller as possible. Until a co-worker is able to locate this checklist for you, ask the following questions:
a. Time bomb is set to explode.
b. Where located.
c. What kind of bomb.
d. Why is he/she doing this? Note the following details: sex, accent, speech impediment, age, background noises, and unusual phrases.
Internal Disaster Evacuation Plan
1. Horizontal Evacuation - Horizontal evacuation is the lateral movement of all patients utilizing wheelchairs, stretchers, blanket drags, or other conveyances, to the nearest and safest protected area, usually the grassy area in front of the hospital.
a. For non-ambulant patients, use stretchers, blankets if possible, beds if practical and wheelchairs if possible.
b. All ambulatory patients form a chain and are led to the nearest exits.
c. An individual is assigned at exit door to maintain order and give directions.
d. All patients should be wrapped in blankets.
e. Carry patients as a last resort, if no other way is available, in order to escape dangerous areas. However, in carrying patients, consider: The weight and condition of a patient and the adaptability of the rescuer.
External Disaster Plan
This plan is used in response to mass casualties as a result of any manmade or natural disaster in the community which will exceed the normal capacities of the Emergency Department. The plan is intended to provide emergency medical services with a minimum amount of interruption to the patient services of the hospital. When the external disaster plan is in initiated:
1. Report to nursing station if not already there and remain there unless assigned by the Charge nurse to do otherwise.
2. Restrict use of the telephone and outside doors unless absolutely necessary.
3. All questions from the media should be directed to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO
4. If the external disaster involves chemicals and/or hazardous materials, the plan will be initiated by announcing code via overhead page.
Infection Prevention
1. Hand Hygiene
a.Hands and other skin surfaces should be washed immediately and thoroughly if contaminated with blood or other infectious materials. Hands should be washed before and after wearing gloves and before and after any contact with a patient. Hand antiseptic or soap and water are to be used.
b. Artificial nails and nail jewelry are not permitted. Nail length is to be no more than 1/2' from the fingertip.
2. Standard Precautions
a. Standard precautions should be used on all patients.
b. Wear gloves when providing any type of patient care
c. Perform hand hygiene before entering and before leaving the room/providing care.
d. Always wear gloves when you have a potential risk of a bloodborne pathogen exposure
e.Standard precautions should be used along with ALL types of isolation precautions
3. Isolation Precautions
a. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) consists of gloves, isolation gowns, mask with or without an eye shield. (Prescription glasses are not used in place of protective goggles For a more extensive list of PPE see the Bloodborne Pathogen section below.
b. Isolation carts are within reach of each isolation room and contain PPE, one-time use thermometer, blood pressure cuff and stethoscope for each patient.
c. Isolation Types:
i. Contact Isolation - organisms spread by direct or indirect contact (Example - Direct contact would be shaking hands; Indirect contact would be touching an IV pole or drinking after someone Examples include methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA) or other multiple drug resistant organisms (MDRO) that are not present in sputum.
a. Wear gloves and gowns and change them after each patient
b. Perform hand hygiene before entering and before leaving the room/providing
c. If patient is coughing, wear a mask.
ii. Enteric Contact Isolation - organisms are spread by fecal-oral route and are resistant to alcohol based hand sanitizer.
1. Standard Precautions
a. Hand hygiene, gown and gloves
2. Hands must be washed with soap & water
3. Use patient-dedicated or single use disposable equipment
iii. Droplet Isolation - organisms spread by droplet (usually 3 feet or less) (Example - coughing/sneezing) Examples include influenza, Group A strep, methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA) or other multiple drug resistant organisms (MDRO) that are present in sputum.
a. Cover your cough or cough in a tissue or your elbow
b. Perform hand hygiene before entering and before leaving the room/providing
c. Wear mask when entering the room
d. Dietary may not enter the room
iv. Airborne Isolation - organisms transmitted by airborne droplet, small particle residue of evaporated droplets containing microorganisms that remain suspended in the air and can be widely dispersed by air current within a room or even over a longer distance. Examples include tuberculosis, measles, and chicken pox. 1. Place patient in negative pressure room 2. Standard Precautions:
a. Perform hand hygiene before entering and before leaving the room/providing care.
3. Wear N95 respirator/mask when entering the room
4. Keep door closed
5. Dietary may not enter the room
V.Protective Precautions - used when protecting the patient from infectious organisms.
1. Standard Precautions
a. Perform hand hygiene before entering and before leaving the room/providing
b. Wear mask when entering the room
C. Dietary may not enter the room
2. No persons with infections may enter
3. No dried or live plants or flowers
4. No non-peelable fresh fruits or vegetables
5. Wear mask, gown, and gloves
4. Protecting healthcare workers includes annual screening for tuberculosis, reviewing a complete immunization record and taking hepatitis B immunization.
5. The best way to prevent transmission of germs is to WASH YOUR HANDS!