HOME HEALTH REGISTERED NURSE

Purpose:
To ensure that all Registered Nurse responsibilities are clearly stated.To determine what skills can be safely delegated to non-licensed personnel.

Policy Statement: Registered Nurse (RN).  Skilled nursing services shall be provided by a registered nurse in accordance with the plan of treatment with regards to the applicable nurse practice act. Nursing care shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 
1. Provide those services requiring nursing skills in accordance with the plan of treatment or the plan of care.
2. The promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health.Ensuring the prevention of infection, accident, and injury.
3. Performing an initial nursing assessment prior to the provision of care, provide the ongoing periodic assessment of the patient and initiate preventative and rehabilitative nursing procedures. For those patients requiring nursing services, the initial assessment shall be performed by a registered nurse. 
4. Notify the patient's attending physician, dentist, or podiatrist and other professional persons and responsible staff of significant changes in the patient's condition. 
5. Reassessing the patient's nursing care needs on an ongoing, patient-specific basis and providing care which is consistent with the medical plan of treatment. 
6. Monitoring the patient's response to nursing care. 
7. Assist in coordinating all services provided. 
8. Prepare documentation and clinical notes. 
9. Teaching, supervising and counseling the patient, family members and staff regarding nursing care and the patient's needs, including other related problems of the patient at home. Only a registered professional nurse shall initiate these functions, which may be reinforced by licensed nursing personnel. 
10. The registered nurse may delegate tasks to non-licensed personnel. The non-licensed personnel must be competent and work under the supervision of the registered nurse.  
11. Knowledge on KINNSER documentation
12. Knowledgeable on how to complete OASIS assessment