Partners in Education
Home Health and Community Nursing

Objectives
Discuss the Partners in Education Program
Describe the history of home care
Identify the different types of home care providers
Explain the current state of home care
Identify home health employees
Describe homecare practicum experience

Partners in Education Program
What is the Partners in Education Program
What are the benefits of the program
Who is eligible to participate

What is the Partners in Education Program ?
Program that joins business and academia
Expands the educational curriculum
Broadens learning opportunities
Integrates home healthcare education and practical experience into the community health curriculum

What are the Benefits of the Program?
Students
Schools
Gentiva

Student Benefits
Greater body of knowledge to include home health
Acquire clinical skills and knowledge through observation and performance of patient care in the homecare environment
Witness the many benefits of homecare and expand career opportunities by considering homecare as a career

School Benefits
Program incorporates homecare education and practical clinical experience into community health curriculum, providing a more comprehensive experience
Expands business and community relationships and services
Advances local community and economic development through additional career opportunities for nursing graduates

School Benefits
Aligns the school with the nation’s leading homecare company
Clinical experts from Gentiva are able to serve as guests speakers in topics such as:
Homecare technology
Healthcare compliance
Utilization management
Joint Commission on Accreditation
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

Gentiva Benefits
Develops a stronger corporate citizenship through community involvement and economic development
Nurses will experience the benefits of being a home health nurse

Who is Eligible to Participate?
Students currently enrolled in an accredited course of study in nursing or related health topics
Eligible students who meet state, school and Gentiva requirements to participate as student observers and providers of care under direct supervision of a nurse preceptor

Student Responsibilities
Assume responsibility for learning experience
Follow all company policies and procedures
Provide agency with required health clearance documentation
Physical exam
TB clearance
Immunization against communicable diseases
Provide agency with proof of OSHA training

Student Responsibilities
Conduct behavior in a professional and ethical manner
Respect the confidentiality of patient health information
Provide the agency with student learning activities plan
Complete evaluation of student experience

History of Home Health Care

History of Home Health Care
Not new and innovative concept
For centuries, families cared for sick and disabled loved ones at home

Organized Home Care 1885-1910
Most seriously ill individuals were treated at home
Nurses chose to work in the home rather than in a hospital
Most nurses remained with the patient 24 hours/day
Around 1910 shift from private duty nursing to home care visits with focus on:
Direct patient care
Teaching family members to care for sick relatives

Organized Home Care 1885-1910
Infectious diseases prevalent resulting in high death rate so nurses focused on providing lessons on physical and moral hygiene
Trained nurses taught skills for healthy living and personal responsibility for health

Expansion of Visiting Nurses 1911-1929
American Red Cross
Established rural visiting nurse service
Helped local chapters establish community visiting nurses services
Opened an average of 68 visiting nurses programs monthly
Metropolitan Life
First insurance company to offer visiting nursing benefits to policyholders across the country
Nurses worked for either public or voluntary agencies

Centralization of Hospitals 1930-1954
Fewer patients were sick at home
Hospitals were preferred for medical, surgical and obstetrical patients
Private duty nursing was now provided in hospitals
Reduction in need for training home care nurses
Metropolitan life terminated its visiting nurses benefits
Red Cross’s national nursing service was closed

Rebirth of Home Care 1955-1964
The rebirth of home care is attributed to:
The rising cost of hospital care
Increase in chronic illness
Rapidly aging population
Three types of formalized home care providers
Hospital based home care
Community based home health service
Home maker services

Rebirth of Home Care 1955-1964
Funding for these home care providers was limited to:
Private contributions
United Way
Local health and welfare departments
Fees charged to patients.

Acceleration of Home Care – 1965 to Current Day
Increase of chronically ill and disabled patients put financial strain on agencies for funding
Medicare legislation provided home care services to the elderly
Medicaid legislation provided home care services to the poor
Older American Act provided home and community support to older Americans as an alternative to institutionalization

Acceleration of Home Care – 1965 to Current Day
Home care recognized as:
Cost containment measure
Alternative to hospitalization
Alternative to nursing home placement
Medicare Diagnostic Resource Groups or DRGs
Hospital paid fee based on patient diagnosis
Sooner patient discharged, greater chance hospital would benefit

Home Care Providers

Home Health Agencies (HHAs)
20,000 HHAs in America
Wide range of service
Care team that provide and coordinate patient care
Available 24 hour a day 7 days a week

Types of Home Care Providers
Home health agencies
Hospices
Infusion therapy companies
Respiratory therapy companies
Durable medical equipment and supply dealers

Types of Home Health Agencies
Traditional – visit or combination of visit and shift
Staffing
Homemaker and personal care

Home Health Agencies:  Traditional
Nursing
Physical, speech and occupational therapy
Medical Social Services
Personal care

Home Health Agencies:  Staffing
Long term staffing in the home
Institutional staffing - Company may also provide temporary employees to institutions to fill open positions or to supplement staffing during peak shifts
Finder fee is charged or the company may bill by the hour

Home Health Agencies:  Homemaker and Personal Care
Assistance with daily living activities
Bathing
Dressing
Meal preparation
House cleaning
Companionship

Hospices
Service for the terminally ill
Interdisciplinary Team
Skilled professional
Volunteers
Care provision
Physical
Spiritual
Emotional
Financial

Infusion Therapy Companies
Medication
Equipment
Training

Respiratory Therapy Companies
Provide respiratory equipment, such as C-pap machines and oxygen concentrators
Rapidly growing segment of the industry

Durable Medical Equipment and Supply Dealers
Deliver, install and train the patient to use equipment at home
Respirators
Wheelchairs
Walkers
Catheters

Hiring a Caregiver Directly
Caregiver is hired outside of an agency
Patient or family is responsible for
Hiring
Supervising
Paying
Decreased cost - increased risk

Summary
20,000 HHAs in America
Wide range of service
Several different types of home care providers

Home Health Care Employees

Introduction
Health Services is one of the largest industries in the country, with more than 11 million jobs, of which 6.3% are in home health care.

Working Conditions
Daily routine may vary
Surroundings differ from case to case
Clients may have a combination of services requiring different levels of skills

Home Health Care Employee Base
Field Professional caregivers
Field Paraprofessional caregivers
Office support
Administrative
Clinical

Field Professional Caregivers
Registered Nurses
Licensed Practical/Licensed Vocational Nurses
Therapists
Physical
Occupational
Respiratory
Language and Speech Pathologist
Social Workers

Field Paraprofessional Caregivers
Home Health Aides
Personal Caregivers
Homemakers
Chore Workers
Companions

Registered Nurses
Nurses
Promote health
Prevent disease
Help patients cope with illness
Assess patients’ conditions and home environment
Provide patient care and instructions
Record symptoms, reactions and progress
Supervise Home Health Aids

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) and Licenses Vocational Nurses (LVN)
Follows the direction of Registered Nurses
Provide basic care
Observes patients and reports adverse reactions
In some states can administer medication and IV fluids

Physical Therapist
Provides care to patients with acute orthopedic, nerve and/or muscle disorder
Assesses current level of functionality and creates individualized care plan
Performs therapeutic treatment and establishes a home program for patient/family to follow

Occupational Therapy
Works on fine motor skills needed to perform activities of daily living
Dressing
Eating
Grooming

Respiratory Therapy
Tests lung capacity and analyzes oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration
Measures patient’s potential of hydrogen (PH)
Provides temporary relief to patients with chronic asthma or emphysema

Speech and Language Pathologist
Performs patient evaluations
Provides services to patients that have disorders with
Communication
Swallowing

Social Worker
Helps people function in their environment
Provide Counseling to help the client
Identify concerns
Consider effective solutions
Finds reliable resources

Home Health Aide
Provide non-skilled care
Personal care
House keeping
Meal preparation
Dressing
Companionship
Supervised by RN or PT
Report changes in patient’s condition to supervisor or case manager

Office Support
Administrative support staff
Scheduling
Payroll/Billing
Record maintenance
Clinical managers
Overall responsibility for patient management
Supervision and management  of field professional and paraprofessional staff

Caregiver Related Challenges
Stranger in the house
The patient resists care from the caregiver
Professional boundaries break down between the caregiver and the family
The caregiver and family push boundaries of allowable care
The family desires to fire the agency and retain the caregiver

Current State of Home Care

The Market Opportunity
2004 Home Care Spending - $62.5 billion*
Home care industry growth drivers
Aging population
Medical/technological advances
Patient preference for home care
Changing family structure
Cost advantages
*Source:  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Projection

The Cost Advantage

Aging Population = Higher Spending

Home Care Statistics
8 million Americans receive home health care
20,000 organizations provide home health care
7,000 Medicare certified
13,000 Not Medicare certified

The Home Care Market

Home Care Goals
Reduce hospitalization and nursing home days
Reduce emergency room visits
Allow terminal patients to die at home
Provide support for patient’s caregiver
Enhance optimal growth and development
Enhance functional potential

Most Likely Users of Home Care
Women are more likely then men to use home care
Those most likely to have a home care visit
Aged 85 and older
Widows
Living alone
Having difficulties with basic daily activities

Top Home Health Diagnoses

Top 5 Diagnoses: GHS

Home Care:  Significant Role

Home Care Practicum

Homecare Practicum Experience
Assignment of student to agency
Notification by preceptor to student
Make arrangements to meet preceptor at agency for first day
Schedule dates with preceptor for future practicum days

Homecare Practicum Experience
Follow Learning Activities Plan
Regularly review student experience with preceptor
Document on appropriate forms if performing a skill

The Home Care Admission
Receiving a referral
The initial patient assessment
Establishing the Plan of Treatment

Referral
Received from:
Facility
Physician office
Insurance verified
Initial orders are received for care
Assessing professional scheduled to perform initial patient assessment

Initial Assessment
Skilled need
Appropriate for homecare
Safe environment
Appropriate/adequate resources
Ability to learn
Report findings to clinical manager
Plan of treatment is established

Plan of Treatment
Assessment
Problem identification
Goal are determined
Care delivery
Patient Teaching
Coordination of care

Resources
Micromedex/CareNotes Patient Education Material
Gentiva University