People who work in healthcare have the important responsibility of saving people’s lives and treating illnesses and injuries. This is why nurses and others who work in medicine are watched throughout their careers for misconduct and other problems that may reflect on their ability to prove quality care.
Nurses are vetted in a number of ways, such as background checks, to make sure they can provide quality care and maintain certain professional standards. To ensure quality of care FIRST at Home screens all of our highly skilled staff with Level II background screening. We don’t employ any medical professionals without the minimum of two years home health care experience.
Classifications of nurses
There are a few different tiers of nurses which reflect their education, skills, and qualifications. Before anyone can provide nursing services independently they need a certain combination of experience and training. This level of experience and education is reflected in the titles given to nurses.
An LPN is short for a licensed practical nurse. They usually have some level of vocational training for about a year and are supervised by doctors or registered nurses in most cases. This is an older classification that is not commonly used anymore, but LPNs who are working today usually have extensive experience in a hospital or private care setting.
An RN is a registered nurse who has some kind of formal education equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. They are qualified to administer medications, draw blood, treat wounds and infections, monitor a patient’s progress through charts, and other important responsibilities that may be managed by a physician. RNs also are the most common type of nurses who provide services to private companies and individual patients, like the services offered by First at Home.
There are also advanced classifications of nursing such as a BSN, MSN, and even Doctors of nursing. These professionals need to obtain a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and a Ph.D. respectively. Advanced nurses usually do administrative work in hospitals related to areas such as human resources or budgeting, and they often teach or train other nurses in hospitals and schools in addition to the job duties outlined above.
Ensuring that nurses will uphold ethical standards
FIRST at Home will run Level II background checks on all nurses and staff before offering them employment for a number of reasons. Requirements have become more stringent after nurses with convictions for serious offenses were found practicing a number of years ago. A nurse needs to have an active license to practice, and the license also needs to correspond to the specific state where they intend to work. A history of problems with previous employers can also indicate that they may be more likely to make mistakes or jeopardize the health of those under their care. This is especially important because most medications that nurses administer are controlled and regulated substances that need to be used appropriately and cannot be released into the general public or misused.
Criminal background checks are also used to make sure the individual has a clean record and will be less likely to do things like steal or intentionally cause harm to anyone they work with or care for. Some schools and state governments also require nursing students to pass criminal background checks before they can even begin clinical training or obtain their license. Offenses related to crimes like forgery or illegal drug possession may end someone’s chances of being a nurse due to the fact that nurses need to handle insurance documentation or administer medications and drugs. There is even a list of excluded providers that functions like a blacklist of healthcare professionals who have been known to engage in fraudulent billing. With all of these protections, the healthcare industry as a whole has gone to great lengths to ensure the safety of people who will be treated by nurses and other similar professionals.
Consistent communication
Companies that provide on call nursing services will stay in contact with the nurse and the patient’s physician to ensure that their treatment goes according to the relevant plan and any potential issues are addressed as soon as possible. Treatment plans also need to be changed or altered for some patients and this needs to be done quickly and efficiently through relevant communication channels that utilize the expertise of the doctor, nurse, and anyone else involved. The customers should also be able to reach their nurse or doctor regularly if they need any additional help or have questions about their treatment in order to avoid mistakes or other problems.
Receive help from a nursing professional today
To request the services of a qualified nurse for any of your home care or private duty needs, contact First at Home. They will be able to connect you with the right individual to serve your needs based on some basic information about a possible course of treatment.