JCAHO Advice re two identifiers in homecare

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

myth of the month

in the home care setting do we need to keep checking two identifiers each time we give a medication?

the purpose of national patient safety goal 1 is to ensure accurate identification of care recipients. in the home, this is much easier and less prone to error than in other settings. at the first encounter, the requirement for two identifiers is appropriate. thereafter, and in any situation of continuing one-on-one care where the nurse "knows" the individual, one of the identifiers can be direct facial recognition. in the home, the correct address (an acceptable identifier when used with another person-specific identifier) is also confirmed. note: npsg 1 is not applicable for home medical equipment companies.

http://www.jcaho.org/accredited+organizations/home+care/home+care+bulletin/hcb_104.htm#2

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Always good to read your home health information.

renerian