Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Unit 34 The Organization of Home Care: Trends in Health Care

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Objectives Spell and define terms. Briefly describe the history of home care. Describe the benefits of working in home care.

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Objectives Identify members of the home health team. List guidelines for avoiding liability while working as a home health assistant. Describe the types of information a home health assistant must be able to document.

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Objectives Identify several time management techniques. List ways in which the home health assistant can work successfully with families.

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Introduction Health care of persons in their own homes is an age-old tradition Middle of the twentieth century –Massive trend to move patient care out of the home and into the community health care facility

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Providers of Home Health Care Because of the increasing demand for home care, there are many different types of home care providers: –Government-sponsored agencies –Private agencies –Hospital-sponsored agencies

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Benefits of Working in Home Health Care After you have completed your nursing assistant class –You may choose to join a group that provides home health care

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Benefits of Working in Home Health Care There are advantages to working for such agencies: –Satisfaction of giving complete care to one client at a time –Satisfaction of caring for the same client over a period of time

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Benefits of Working in Home Health Care There are advantages to working for such agencies: –Opportunity to work with greater independence –Part-time employment, if desired

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Source of Referral Most persons using home health care –Patients being discharged from a hospital or skilled care facility

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Source of Referral Health care team at the discharging facility –Completes a discharge plan and evaluates each person’s need for continuing care at home

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Payment for Home Health Care Home health care may be paid for by: –Medicare –Medicaid –Private insurance companies –Client’s personal funds

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. The Home Health Care Team The home health care team consists of the: –Client –Family –Nursing assistant –Supervising nurse –Physician –Other specialists

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. The Assessment Process Nurse does an assessment of the client during the first visit –Other health care professionals assigned to the case also complete assessments

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Liability and the Nursing Assistant You need to be aware of the responsibilities involved in home care –And how to avoid legal problems associated with caregiving

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Recordkeeping Be sure you know exactly what documentation you are expected to do –Types of records you should keep –Forms you need to use All documentation must be accurate, complete, and up-to-date

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Time Management As a home health assistant –You are responsible for planning your assignment and completing the client’s care within a certain amount of time You may have several clients to see during your shift –They will be expecting you at a specific time of day

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Working with Families Clients may have spouses or other family members who reside in the home For other clients –Families may live elsewhere but stop in periodically

Copyright © 2008 Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Working with Families In some situations –Family members may live so far away that they can seldom visit You must be able to kindly interact with clients’ family members