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Hospital Staff Support
HOSPITAL STAFF SUPPORT
Joint Commission Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) regulations state that there will be weekly multidisciplinary team conferences conducted with each discipline presenting input with the focus on quality patient care delivery. Each discipline represented brings their specialty forward to create the total patient needs for discussion. The CCU and TCU conference in Hayward has been held twice weekly with this dynamic team that has improved the overall quality of Patient care and outcome. The delegation of appropriate services has improved and is expected to continue to represent the optimal care delivery service that is offered at Kaiser.
PHYSICIANS
A hospital based specialist is a physician who manages patients who are hopitalized. They evaluate patients in the Emergency Room for admission; they manage patients while they are in the hospital, and provide consultation services to other specialists. Most hospital based specialists do this full time, but there are some physicians who primarily work in the clinic and provide support by periodically working in the hosptial in the capacity of a hospital based specialist. There may occasionally be other consultants. The Critical Care has specialized doctors, who are called intensivists. They manage the care of the patients in the Critical Care Unit on a rotating weekly basis.
MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER (MSW)
If you anticipate special needs upon the transfer or discharge of your family member from this unit, please discuss them with the nurse. Our Social Service department is available to assist our patients and their family members and will respond within 24-hours of a request. These skilled professionals can help patients and loved ones adjust emotionally to the hospital experience.
PATIENT CARE COORDINATOR (PCC)
The PCC's responsibilities include discharge planning, assisting RNs with patient and family issues/education, assisting MDs with follow up clinical data, facilitate family conferences regarding issues and concerns, expedite transfers to skilled nursing and subacute facilities for short and long term placement, enrolling patients into necessary classes, chronic condition programs and case management program for outpatient follow up.
CHAPLAIN
The Chaplain is available to patients and their family members for spiritual support. Our chaplain can also assist you in contacting other individuals who can help meet your religious/spiritual needs. You can reach the chaplain through the hospital operator or by aking the RN.
DIETARY DEPARTMENT
The Clinical Dietitian works within the multidisciplinary team to identify patients who are at nutritional risk and may need nutritional intervention. They determine nutrient requirements specific for each individual patient and monitor them through the duration of their hospital stay that documents the effectiveness of Medical Nutrition Therapy. They communicate effectively with other members of the health care team, regarding the needs of the patient and attend regular patient care rounds. They provide nutrition education to patients and family members regarding specific disease states, meal selection and nutritional plans. They are also communicate after discharge needs with others in the Continuum of Care.
ETHICS COMMITTEE
The purpose of the committee is to assist, educate and reccommend alternative decisions for patients, family members or medical professionals who are facing an ethical dilemma. The committee is composed of physicians, nurses, social workers, the hospital chaplain, administration and community liaison person.
The Bioethics Committee is an advisory committee that provides options and offers recommendations, not decisions, based on the information gathered.
To make a referral to the Bioethics Committee, please contact your MSW or RN.
CARDIAC EDUCATION NURSE-Hayward only
Act as liason between in-patient and out-patient program health educations. Facilitates You Gotta Have Heart and The Cholesterol and LifeStyle classes, updates Cardiac references and videos throughout the hospital.
VOLUNTEERS (Mended Hearts)
The Mended Hearts is a national non-profit organization comprised of people with heart disease, their families, medical professionals and other interested parties. They provide educational information, and individual and group support to recovering patients and their families. Mended Hearts volunteers can assist you at the hospital, by the telephone and via internet.
To find the nearest chapter call: 1(800) 242-8721
or visit the web at: Mended Hearts
INFECTION CONTROL
We take special care in protecting patients, visitors and employees from the spread of infectious diseases. Hand washing is our most important preventive measure. You can assist in infection protection by washing your hands frequently. Your family members, if providing you with care, should also follow this same easy and effective prevention procedure.
You can expect that staff members will follow infection control practices while carrying out any procedure where the patients is involved. Standard precautions promote the use of gloves, gowns, masks and eye protection by health care workers when performing some procedures when there might be contact with body substances, (drawing blood, starting an IV, emptying a bed pan). In addition, special care is taken in the disposal of linen, waste material and needles.
Any questions about infection control may be adressed to the Infection Control Nurse or the RN.
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