Recent JCAHO survey? How'd it go?

nursemaa · Sep 28, 2004

We haven't been surveyed yet, but a consultant came in and did a mock survey using the new "tracer methodology". She followed a patient around the hospital, asked staff how they knew or could find different pieces of information about the patient, how orders were processed, how information is communicated to other departments, etc. It wasn't too bad, but then again it was a mock survey and not the real thing.

plumrn, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2004

Thanks nursemaa. We heard they were following pts through the hospital. I just hope they pick a nice one!

June55Baby · Sep 28, 2004

Just wondering if anyone has been thru the new survey method. Fill us in on what hospital floor staff can expect. Thanks in advance!

We have not had a survey this year, not expecting one until 2006 and then it will be unannounced, but we have had several Mock Tracers.

The surveyors will expect to talk to staff NOT DIRECTORS or managers. They will actually ask managers to be quiet. The surveyors expect to hear close to the same answers from all staff and physicians. If they ask Nursing what patient identifiers they use, they want to hear the same thing in Radiology, Lab, OR, etc. Surveyors want to see that hospitals are providing the same level of care house wide 24/7. They are looking at safety issues, communication among caregivers, safe and secure medication use, infection control, hand washing, (check out the National Patient Safety Goals), assessment and reassessment of pain, assessments, etc.

We understand constant readiness is vital, so we are working on Continuous Service Readiness - staying continuously ready for the next patient, not the next survey.

Good luck with your survey!

skap · Sep 29, 2004

We had ours a couple of weeks ago. When they came to our floor they took a nurse that had a certain patient, and then went through the chart with her for over an hour,then they followed that patients trips throughout the hospital, (ie: er, x-ray, picu, our floor, etc..) to make sure the proper stuff was in the chart. They were also concerned with how we know that the nurses on our floor are capable of taking care of patient on vents. Hope this helps some....

Jedi · Sep 29, 2004

It's about time they are zoning in on the care of ventilator patients. I'm returning to nursing after being out for 5 years. I used to work on a med/surg floor that had special ICU capable rooms that housed "respiratory" patients, some on vents. For the most part, there were only certain nurses that worked in that roomed who really wanted to work there, but sometimes I had to go work that room and did not feel qualified to work with vent patients. I can't recall if I had to work with a vent patient or not, but I had no special ventilator training. I hope these types of situations are declining. What is standard today out there in the field. Are RN's required special training prior to working with ventilator patients? I'm very curious.

Jedi

We had ours a couple of weeks ago. When they came to our floor they took a nurse that had a certain patient, and then went through the chart with her for over an hour,then they followed that patients trips throughout the hospital, (ie: er, x-ray, picu, our floor, etc..) to make sure the proper stuff was in the chart. They were also concerned with how we know that the nurses on our floor are capable of taking care of patient on vents. Hope this helps some....

skap · Sep 29, 2004

I work on a floor that has children that are in our "habilitation" program. They aren't critical enough to be in the PICU, but aren't ready to go home yet...parents have to learn care, more stabilization, gain weight, etc....

When we start we are given a class on the ventilators, are required to take apart the circuit and put it back together on our own, troubleshoot. Then we are given an orientation for about 3-4 weeks in the unit (with another nurse) so that we become comfortable caring for the kids on vents. There is always a respiratory therapist available in the unit, who is overall responsible for the vent and it's detailed checks. We check them every two hours to make sure non of the setting have changed (parents messing with the vent...sad but it happens)

Hope this helps...

Jedi · Sep 29, 2004

Thanks for the info. Sounds like about 3-4 weeks more "orientation " than what I had. Glad to hear it. I'm told that orientations are longer than they were when I went into nursing in the past. Thank goodness. They were way to short when I first started work as an RN in 1996. I've been out for 5 years and am taking a RN refresher course before going back to work.

Jedi

I work on a floor that has children that are in our "habilitation" program. They aren't critical enough to be in the PICU, but aren't ready to go home yet...parents have to learn care, more stabilization, gain weight, etc....
When we start we are given a class on the ventilators, are required to take apart the circuit and put it back together on our own, troubleshoot. Then we are given an orientation for about 3-4 weeks in the unit (with another nurse) so that we become comfortable caring for the kids on vents. There is always a respiratory therapist available in the unit, who is overall responsible for the vent and it's detailed checks. We check them every two hours to make sure non of the setting have changed (parents messing with the vent...sad but it happens)
Hope this helps...

plumrn, BSN, RN · Sep 30, 2004

Thanks for the replies. Everyone is really nervous about the upcoming survey. No one wants to be THE ONE who got a 'ding' for the hospital, by answering a question wrong. I'll be lucky to remember my name if they ask!

Jedi · Sep 30, 2004

Hey Plum -

Did you realize that your hospital is the one that INVITED JACHO to come into your facility? I just learned that in my refresher class. Hospitals do this for reimbursement and monetary reward. Sooo... if a nurse answers incorrectly, it's a direct reflection on how the hospital may not be educated their staff enough. What a different way to view things, eh? Now I look at JACHO differently when I'm reentering the field.

:idea: I think I will always be looking for articles to see what JACHO is looking for. They change what they are looking for based on scientific study, so I'm more apt to keep up with reading Nursing Journals (as well as medical journals related to my specialty also. Pretty cool, huh?

Jedi :idea:

May the force be with you!

Thanks for the replies. Everyone is really nervous about the upcoming survey. No one wants to be THE ONE who got a 'ding' for the hospital, by answering a question wrong. I'll be lucky to remember my name if they ask!