impending Joint Commission Visit

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I'm a relatively new nurse (5 months on the floor) and my hospital is scheduled for a Joint Commission visit at some point this summer. Wanted any type of encouragement/advice about what to expect/how to handle it. I feel like I learn so much each day that I won't possibly know what they are asking me. Be real with me, if it's a terrifying experience I want to know..haha. Take care, looking forward to hearing back. Thanks everyone.

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Unless you are involved in the actual inspection, You may not even see them. We spent 2months scrambling around going over our cores, fire drills, charts, etc and did not have any contact with them during the visit.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

They are really interested in knowing that you are following facility policies. If you are, then you should not have any worries. Know where to locate policies or any other information pertinent to your job code. Their major focus is safety

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Specializes in cardiac stepdown, pre-hospital.

When I was completing clinicals, JCAHO was on the floor when there was a fall. The observed the response to the fall and the post-fall huddle. The floor actually got complimented on the response. It ended up being in their favor.

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Don't freak out about it. Administrators are the ones that need to worry about it. I always find it to be a fun day. Staffing is amazingly good and the management folks are too busy putting on a show to annoy the staff.

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Specializes in ICU & LTAC as RN. FNP.

Enjoy the "show", that's what it is.

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Specializes in Intermediate care.

It's ok if you don't know the answer to something unless its something like "where is the nearest fire exit" So if they ask you a question and you don't know just know where you would look it up. So if you have some down time at work, kinda scope around where things are, you can ask your charge nurse too. Our policies and procedures are online. So in my case i would direct them to looking at it on our policies and procedures. We are an all computer hospital, so it makes it easy for people who know how to use computers :)

so as long as you know where to find it, or how to find it you should be fine.

I spent as much time in patient's rooms as possible, but tried not making it obvious i was trying to avoid them, because then they know you are. I feel like we live in our patients rooms anyway, but i would do a little extra. (i.e. our CNA's give patients bath, and we have 4 patients. Usually i try to help out and do 1 or 2 for my aide.) when joint commission came i had 3 patients SHOWERED and 1 bedrest patient got the bath of her life and her hair even washed and braided. HA! take that joint commission...they don't teach you braiding in nursing school. :D

(not that i wouldn't do that for a patient, it's just not one of my priorities)

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