POLICY STATEMENT.

The Division of Veterans Healthcare Services (DVHS) requires that each of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes (VMH) establish a nursing services program that shall provide and ensure that each veterans home resident receives all care and services needed to enable the resident to attain and maintain the highest practical level of physical (including pain management), emotional, and social well being, in accordance with individual assessments and care plans, regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, mental and/or physical handicap, in accordance with Federal and State Regulatory and Licensing requirements.

PURPOSE.

This policy and procedure shall serve to ensure that veterans home residents are provided nursing services by qualified and licensed professional staff who shall abide by all Federal and State laws, rules, regulations, and who believe in the dignity and worth of each individual. This staff shall provide nursing care services that recognize the fundamental needs of each individual, maintains life, sustains personal integrity and achieves a degree of self-fulfillment.

PROCEDURE.

  1. New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes

 

  1. The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes shall establish a nursing services program, under the administration of a Director of Nurses, who shall coordinate and direct nursing care services in accordance with Federal and State laws, rules, and regulations, assuring each resident receives needed individualized nursing services which:
  1. Supports the eight standards of gerontological nursing practice (see appendix A) that encompasses health promotion, health maintenance, disease prevention, self-care of the residents toward the restoration and maintenance of optimum physical, social and psychological functioning.  The program shall also be directed toward the prevention and control of disease and the provision of comfort and dignity throughout life and death processes.

 

  1. Employs qualified nursing services personnel that are trained to recognize, evaluate and provide nursing care which is professionally planned and directed to meet the needs of each veterans home resident without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, mental and/or physical handicap.
  1. Incorporates a quality assessment and/or quality improvement program that monitors the performance of each nursing service, analyzing and evaluating nursing practices, identifying problems and recommending changes based on collected data, to include but not be limited to:

 

  1. Monitoring systems for cost effective management
  2. Maintenance inspections for nursing related equipment and supplies
  3. Procedures for reporting incidents and hazards
  4. Procedures for emergency response to incidents and hazards
  5. Auditing the Medical Record

  1. Delivers nursing care services in accordance with current nursing practice standards, implementing new and changing concepts of nursing practice.

 

  1. Provides opportunities for professional growth and development to its nursing staff.
  1. Supports and contributes to teaching programs in other disciplines throughout the facility and in the community.

 

  1. Coordinates the functions of the Nursing Department on an interdepartmental level within the Department and the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home.

 

 

 

Revised:  June 2007


A holistic perspective is vital to understanding the veterans home resident, as is being aware of changes physiologically, sociologically and spiritually.  One must understand the geriatric resident as a person who has the potential for continuing development, experiencing affirmation and a zest in daily living and sharing with others in the celebration of life.

A Nursing Service Department will function in accordance with the "Standards of Gerontological Nursing Practice", defined as follows:

Standard I:  Data is systematically and continuously collected about the health status of the older adult.  The data is accessible, communicated, and recorded.

Rationale:  In order to provide comprehensive nursing care for the older adult, the data is collected from a framework that includes the scientific findings and knowledge derived from the fields of gerontology and nursing.

Standard II:  Nursing diagnoses are derived from the identified normal responses of the individual to aging and the data collected about the health status of the older adult.

Rationale:  Each person ages in an individual way.  The individual's normal response to aging must be identified before deviations in response requiring nursing actions can be identified.

Standard III:  A nursing care plan is developed in conjunction with the older adult and/or significant other(s) that includes goals derived from the Interdisciplinary Team process.

Rationale:  Goals are the determination of the results to be achieved and are an essential part of care planning.  All goals are ultimately directed toward maximizing achievable independence in every day living.

Standard IV:  The nursing care plan includes priorities and prescribed nursing approaches and measures to achieve the goals derived from the Interdisciplinary Team process.

Rationale:  Priorities and approaches are an integral part of the care planning process and are necessary to the successful achievement of the goals.

Standard V:  The care plan is implemented, using appropriate nursing actions.

Rationale:  Nursing actions are purposefully directed toward achieving the stated goals.

Standard VI:  The older adult and/or significant other(s) participate in determining the progress attained in the achievement of established goals.

Rationale:  The older adult and/or significant other(s) is/are essential components in the determination of having had the anticipated impact upon the individual's health status.

Standard VII:  The older adult and/or significant other(s) participate in the ongoing process of assessment, the setting of new goals, the reordering of priorities, the revision of plans for nursing care, and the initiation of new nursing actions.


Rationale:  Comprehensive nursing care is dependent upon actively involving the older adult and/or significant other(s) in a continuing dynamic process.

Regulatory agents for the administration of nursing care are mandated by the:

The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
The New Jersey Board of Nursing
The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
The United States Veterans Administration

 

 

Revised:  June 2007