Introduction

“For it may safely be said, not that the habit of ready and correct observation will by itself make us useful nurses, but that without it we shall be useless with all our devotion”. — Florence Nightingale. Notes on Nursing: What it is and what it is not (1860), 160.

The Island Home Health Care (IHHC), Nursing Service established a Standard of Practice in order to protect its client, and Health Care providers. It outlines the administrative nursing policies and standards of care for basic nursing care procedures and clinical practices, how the IHHC Nurses is to practice, at a minimum. This minimum is evident by their observable behaviors and actions. Standards may be defined as "Benchmark of achievement” which is based on a desired level of excellence. Standards of care in nursing are important because they recognize the trusted role that a nurse plays. These standards are considered the baseline for quality care. They must be developed while assessing the UAE rules, regulations and laws that govern the practice of nursing. Standards of care apply equally to all IHHC nurses in various settings. They govern the nurse’s practice at every level of care.

Mission

To recognize nurses as highly skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals who positively transform the experience of care of person served.

Vision

The community of nurses of IHHC seeks to achieve a collaborative professional nursing practice that attracts and retains highly qualified nurses who makes a commitment to deliver compassionate, holistic care that promotes a caring-healing and patient- and family-centered environment to persons served.

Values

Our mission and vision will be achieved through the application of our core values, which includes:

• ALTRUISIM - Refers to the concern for the welfare and well being of others. It is the expression of selfless concern for others when there is no obvious reward to be gained for oneself, except the belief someone else will benefit or avoid harm

• AUTONOMY – Refers to the right to self-determination and self-direction, even amid challenges, obstacles, and disadvantages

• HUMAN DIGNITY - Refers to having respect for the inherent worth and uniqueness of individuals, families, and communities and characterizes all interactions a nurse should have with them. In the academic setting human dignity refers to the individual's learning needs, strengths, deficits, and goals of each student.

• INTEGRITY - refers to nurses acting in accordance with an appropriate code of ethics and accepted standards of practice

• SOCIAL JUSTICE - Refers to upholding moral, legal and humanistic principles. It serves as the underpinning for how decisions are made in terms of the equitable distribution and allocation of health care services and resources such as education and having a safe workplace

Scope of Home Health Care Service

Scope of practice refers to the activities that registered nurses are educated and authorized to perform. These activities are established through the legislated definition of nursing practice and are complemented by standards, limits and conditions set by IHHC and Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD).

The Regulation states that registrants of IHHC may practice nursing. Nursing is defined as the health profession in which a person provides the following services:

• Health care for promoting, maintaining and restoring health

• Prevention, treatment and palliation of illness and injury, primarily by assessing health status, planning and implementing interventions, and coordinating health services

To provide the best possible home care services and helping our clients achieve the highest possible level of independence, we employ the most qualified Nurses.

In addition, we strongly believe in continuing education. Although our professionally licensed healthcare providers must meet continuing education hours to renew each license, IHHC also provides in-service training in a variety of areas throughout the year to all of its employees.

Island Home Health Care for services to be covered under DAMAN, patients must meet the criteria for “homebound status”. Patients who might consider home care as a possible option include:

• Patients discharged from a hospital who are not fully recovered

• Patients with chronic conditions requiring on-going monitoring and treatment changes

• Patients who are not well enough to attend outpatient therapy

• Patients who have difficulty with ambulation and endure significant effort to get out into the community

IHHC Professional Standards make it clear that clinical practice, education, administration and research are all considered part of the practice of registered nursing. The Standards of Practice describe a competent level of nursing care as demonstrated by the critical thinking model known as the nursing process. The nursing process includes the components of assessment, diagnosis, outcomes identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Accordingly, the nursing process encompasses significant actions taken by registered nurses and forms the foundation of the nurse’s decision-making. The standards are subject to formal, periodic review and revision. The competencies that accompany each standard may be evidence of compliance with the corresponding standard.

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA SERVED

We cover the entire Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi consists of 3 areas:
1. Western Region
2. Eastern Region (Al Ain)
3. Central Abu Dhabi

Purpose

Nursing Staff

Nurse involvement is essential to any significant healthcare improvement initiative (Bosagnano 7.4, 7.5 2010). Within practice according to the Health Authority Abu Dhabi regulations; each individual nurse is responsible for her delivery of safe and effective patient care and are responsible for actively participating in quality, safety and patient centered activities. Nurses are enabled through the shared governance structure to participate in improvement initiatives and are accountable for adhering to evidence based protocols or policies instituted as a product of the Quality Plan by:

• Assuming responsibility for identifying and reporting processes or systems and risks that could potentially lead to errors or adverse events.

• Participating in the design of safe systems and processes.

• Maintaining knowledge and follow organizational and departmental policies and procedures applicable to assigned responsibilities.

• Using sound judgment and awareness of potential hazards before taking action.

• Making safe choices by following policies and procedures and making choices that align with organizational values.

• Participating in required organizational and departmental patient safety education programs and other activities designed to improve patient safety.

• Promptly report serious events and incidents in accordance with established organizational policy and procedure. Assuming responsibility for their professional development and education to improve individual performance and promote patient safety.

• Informing patient/families about care, medications, treatments, and procedures; encourage them to be active participants in their care and toask questions and participate with caregivers in the development of their plan of care

Patients/Families

Patients and their families play a critical role in ensuring patient safety and often serve as the final checkpoint to avoid errors or adverse outcomes. Appropriate education will be provided to the patient and families to ensure they are reporting the following to their nurse and/or physician:

• Relevant medical and health information to caregivers to facilitate appropriate care delivery.

• Unexpected changes in patient’s condition or perceived risks to the patient’s health and well being to responsible caregivers.

• Any variation in medications, treatment, or plan of care from what the patients or family was informed to expect

Objectives

1. Support and promote the mission, vision and values of Island Home Health Care.

2. Create an environment that promotes high quality patient care.

3. Provide recognition and reward associated with the individual Registered Nurse’s level of professional practice and clinical expertise.

4. Provide a network of resources for clinical expertise, collaboration, and research/evidence based practice, peer review and consultation for members of the healthcare team.

5. Promote clinical excellence in patient care and professional nursing practice through the encouragement, promotion and support of professional development and engagement.