When considering a Care Giver, it is important to know the specific type of care you require; for example, Skilled Nursing or simple companionship or a person to assist with your Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as dressing, continence, eating, etc. Do you need a 24-hour live-in, full or part-time skilled nursing/assistance, or round-the-clock technology access such as tele-monitoring?
The next step is to choose the Agency who will be providing the services. Are they credentialed and licensed with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)? When was the last time a survey, audit or on-site exam been completed at the facility? Do they have the necessary insurance requirements and bonding? What are the licenses and credentials of the management team, the governing body and their board of field supervisors? Are there any unfavorable outcomes such as ‘letters of deficiency, practice violations or any other complaints or grievances submitted to the CDPH or other regulatory body?
What are the credentials and licenses of the caregivers or the skilled nursing staff? Are their medical exams, testing and vaccinations (including Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, COVID, etc.) current. Have they been subjected to a thorough background check including Federal & State Health Care Sanctions, the National & State Sex Offender Registry, the Adult Abuse Registry or the Nurse Aide Registry. Have their previous employers and patients, if known, been contacted by the Compliance Dept. and approved for hire? Do they have good credit history reducing the temptations of theft and fraud? Do they have any DUIs or reckless driving violations, etc. which would indicate irresponsibility, etc.? Do they have a history of workers comp claims, etc. It is prudent to be diligent when screening and selecting your caregivers.
What about Training? Are their medical professional licenses or certifications current? Do they have CPR and Advanced CPR current certification? If only caregivers, are they Certified as a Home Care Aide (CHCA) by the CDPH? If not, are they currently undergoing field training, passed compliance checks, been fingerprinted and completed the education necessary for licensing? If licensed, have they met their annual 12-hour mandatory in-house training?
What supervisory oversight and control measures are in effect? Is the Field Supervisor, properly qualified by reason of training, education and experience, able to provide an initial health evaluation of the patient and a risk assessment of the patient’s environment as well as provide adequate supervision over the employee(s) so assigned? Transition Care holds our home-care employees to the same high standards as our home-health employees when it comes to quality patient care and acting in an ethical and professional manner. Regarding live-in caregivers or personal attendants, TCT’s Field Supervisors (RN) bring the employee(s) to meet the patient and their family members so they can interact and feel comfortable with the new individual(s) to be assigned.
