HH Assessment quick guide?

[KymRN]

I am an acute care RN switching to HH. I am looking for a one page "quickie" guide for assessment reminders. Does anyone have a homemade one or know where I can purchase one?

Something that will remind me of important things to check for on wounds, catheters, etc..

Thanks for your help.

Kym

[akvarmit]

Hi Kym - welcome to Home Health :welcome:

I have found there is nothing "quick" about Home Health. Even though the nursing is not "critical care", there still is a huge learning curve. The focus of care is completely different. I found the best thing was to do was to start as a novice in my mind and review all the agency policies and teaching tools we give to the patients. The patient care and use of equipment in the home side is very different - not difficult - just different.

I think in acute care the focus is all about what YOU did for the patient and covering your butt in charting. In Home Health it's about what can the PATIENT do for himself, and what did you do to teach him to be just a little more independent today? Then chart not to cover you butt, but to justify why you were in the home today when the chart's reviewed ages from now.

That's just my 2 cents.

Keep on coming back to the boards -

Dawn in PA

[caliotter3]

It might be easier to respond to your request if you clarify if you need this assessment guide for doing intake assessments, or day to day shift assessments. Your agency should have given you whatever assessment guide they utilize for the purpose you need it for.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

My agency requires a complete assessment at every visit. This means if I see a patient daily for wound care, I have to assess everything every time. Seems like over kill to me, but I do what I'm told. Our paper nurses' notes are one page...the computer notes are more detailed. We are having an 8 hour class on how to do a 'quick' assessment...seems oxymoronic to me.