Is patient unconscious or unable to give informed consent for care? Yes or No If Yes, continue to the next step If No, nothing further is needed Is patient accompanied by a family member or surrogate decision maker? If Yes, note that on the chart worksheet and nothing further is needed If No, initiate Seven Steps Protocol Examine patient's personal effects for an emergency contact number. Was an emergency contact number found? Note that no number was found. Try to locate the patient's home telephone number. Was a home number found? Note on the chart that no contact number was found. Look for the patient's emergency contact information using other resources. Was the emergency contact found? If no contact name or number has been located for patient or if you have not been able to speak directly to the emergency contact, send the information gathered, along with your message to the hospital’s social service department or other department, as per the facilities’ policy. Record the information you have found, who you are handing the information off to, the time, your name and title. The Seven Steps Protocol is complete. If a message was left, the staff member records the details. Place a call to make the notification, and record the details on the chart. This includes the time the cal was made, the name and phone number of that contact and any others found (relationship, field to record result of call) Is the contact on the way to the hospital? If yes, this section is complete. Were you able to leave a message for the contact? Yes or No Did the contact arrive within two hours? In two hours the staff member follows up to ensure contact has arrived. If yes, enter that fact into the chart along with the time and your initials and this is complete. Yes or No If the contact does NOT come in in two hours, call again to leave one more message, recording that fact on the chart page. If you have found a second contact number, call it as well. In two hours the staff member follows up to ensure contact has arrived. If contact has not arrived note that on the chart and go to the next step. If you can’t easily find patient’s emergency contacts, use reference tools for alternate locations to search Use reference tools to find info in records from previous hospital admissions, patient’s doctor or insurance company. Use reference tools to find contact info or identify patients in unusual situations. Seven Steps Workflow (Original)

Is patient unconscious or unable to give informed consent for care? Yes or No If Yes, continue to the next step If No, nothing further is needed Is patient accompanied by a family member or surrogate decision maker? If Yes, note that on the chart worksheet and nothing further is needed If No, initiate Seven Steps Protocol Examine patient's personal effects for an emergency contact number. Was an emergency contact number found? Note that no number was found. Try to locate the patient's home telephone number. Was a home number found? Note on the chart that no contact number was found. Look for the patient's emergency contact information using other resources. Was the emergency contact found? If no contact name or number has been located for patient or if you have not been able to speak directly to the emergency contact, send the information gathered, along with your message to the hospital’s social service department or other department, as per the facilities’ policy. Record the information you have found, who you are handing the information off to, the time, your name and title. The Seven Steps Protocol is complete. If a message was left, the staff member records the details. Place a call to make the notification, and record the details on the chart. This includes the time the cal was made, the name and phone number of that contact and any others found (relationship, field to record result of call) Is the contact on the way to the hospital? If yes, this section is complete. Were you able to leave a message for the contact? Yes or No Did the contact arrive within two hours? In two hours the staff member follows up to ensure contact has arrived. If yes, enter that fact into the chart along with the time and your initials and this is complete. Yes or No If the contact does NOT come in in two hours, call again to leave one more message, recording that fact on the chart page. If you have found a second contact number, call it as well. In two hours the staff member follows up to ensure contact has arrived. If contact has not arrived note that on the chart and go to the next step. If you can’t easily find patient’s emergency contacts, use reference tools for alternate locations to search Use reference tools to find info in records from previous hospital admissions, patient’s doctor or insurance company. Use reference tools to find contact info or identify patients in unusual situations. Create Your Own Workflow