CONSENT FOR MEDICAL CARE SERVICES

POLICY STATEMENT:

The Division of Veterans Healthcare Services requires each of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes to establish a Medical Services Program that assures that veteran home residents and/or their legal representatives give prior authorization to the medical staff and/or advance practice nurses to administer necessary, non-invasive methods of testing and diagnosis, care and treatment, to include nursing care considered routine by standards of medical practice.

PURPOSE:

This policy and procedure shall serve to ensure that veteran home residents, or their medical power of attorney or proxy, give prior authorization/consent to the medical staff and/or advance practice nurses to administer necessary and non-invasive methods of testing and diagnosis, care and treatment, to include nursing care considered routine by standards of medical practice.

PROCEDURE:

A. New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes

  1. The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes shall assure that each veteran home resident, if competent, or their legal guardian/healthcare representative if incompetent, gives prior authorization or consent to the medical staff and/or advance practice nurses to administer necessary and non-invasive methods of testing and diagnosis, care and treatment, to include nursing care considered routine by standards of medical practice.

 

B. Department of Social Services

  1. The Social Services Case Manager shall procure authorization/consent from the resident, if competent, or from the resident's legal guardian or health care representative if incompetent, for the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home medical staff and/or advance practice nurses to administer necessary and non-invasive methods of testing and diagnosis, care and treatment, which includes nursing care considered routine by standards of medical practice, at the time of admission.

 

C. Department of Medical Services

  1. The Primary Care/Attending Physician shall procure authorization/consent from the resident, if competent, or from the resident's legal guardian/health care representative, if incompetent, for the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home medical staff and/or advance practice nurses to administer necessary and non-invasive methods of testing and diagnosis, care and treatment, which includes nursing care considered routine by standards of medical practice, as needed.
  a. The physician/advance practice nurse shall inform the veteran home resident, if competent, or the healthcare representative, if deemed incompetent, of the total health status and ensure involvement in the assessment and care planning process, this is to include:
  1. Discussion of diagnosis (es)
2. Treatment Option(s)
3. Risks involved
4. Prognosis
 
  b. The physician/advance practice nurse shall ensure that all recommendations for treatment/medications are addressed with the veteran home resident, if competent, or the healthcare representative, if deemed incompetent, and documented in the Medical Record.

 

Note: In emergency situations where the resident is incompetent, the guardian/health care representative is unable to be contacted, or there is no legal guardian/health care representative, the resident will be sent to the nearest hospital for treatment.


Revised: July 2005

 

 

Medical Services - 23-02-002

 

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