Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. possible surface. It should be near a sink and kept out of the reach of children and pets. Bags are treated as though the inside is clean, with outside pockets containing paper towels and soap for setting up. The outside of the bag is considered unclean. Step Two If an apron is used, it is put on prior to hand washing. The soap container and several extra paper towels are then removed and placed on the work area. If a paper or plastic bag is to serve for waste, it is opened and set up in a corner of the work area for disposal of used materials. A paper towel is tucked under the arm and soap is placed in one hand. Hands are washed vigorously under running water, rinsed thoroughly and wiped dry with two paper towels, which are then used to turn off the faucets. Hand washing Technique Wet hands, apply soap, rub palm areas of hands together ten times with fingers intermingled, rotate back and forth then times. Using circular motion around anterior and posterior of both hands ten times. Rinse well. Dry thoroughly. Turn off faucet with paper towels and discard paper towels. Do not wear finger nail polish at this chips and can constitute another area of contamination. Clean under nails daily. Keep nails trimmed closely as they harbor bacteria. Step Three After the hands are washed, set waterless cleanser out on barrier, any equipment that is necessary for providing care is removed from the bag. Special procedure sets are set up near client, and appropriate medical or surgical aseptic techniques are instituted. The nurse serves as a role model for the client and family and uses the opportunity for teaching about the prevention of infection. Any time that additional equipment is needed from the bag, hands must be washed again; thus, it is wise to have extra paper towels available on the clean work area in case they are needed. Step Four Assessment and special procedure supplies are placed on the clean or sterile field work areas. After use, they are washed with soap and water, dried, or wiped with disinfectant such as alcohol, and returned to the bag. Equipment in the home is cleaned, disinfected and stored in closed, protected containers for future use. Materials that can be disinfected by soaking in antiseptic solution or boiled for at least 20 minutes in water can be processed in the home. Some materials can be sterilized by placing them in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The type of equipment, its material, and its purpose define the procedure used for disinfection or sterilization. Disposable plastic and rubber materials can disintegrate and could produce toxic reactions when processed: thus, it is best to check the manufacturers’ instructions and discard questionable disposable materials safely, that is, at our Agency rather than in the home. All syringes and needles are discarded in the contaminated supplies box (Sharp Box). Home Health Agency Nursing Care & Procedures K-135