Clinical documentation and clinical management relate to section 1.3.1 to 1.3.8 of the Health and Disability Services Standards and are referred to in section D5.4 of the ARRC. There are key reference documents which provide reference at residential care facility level which should be used in conjunction and addition to your organisation policies and procedures. These reference documents include:
- Age Related Residential Care (ARRC) contract
- NZS 8134:2008 Health and Disability Services Standards
- Clinical best practice (EBP) guidelines – eg; Lippincott
- The Code of Health & Disability Consumers Services Rights 1996
Clinical documentation errors of any type noted during audits will result in partial attainments at best. This is an indication there could be risk associated with gaps in service. In a previous article about medication management we noted that even a single signature missing off an administration signing sheet was enough for the auditor to assign a partial attainment finding.
Below are some of the common compliance gaps which relate to clinical documentation:
General compliance
gaps |
Missed signatures off notations. Not dated. Not signed by the author with a full signature. No designation written with signature. Not legible. Inconsistent structure of resident files. Unclear or unsecured archiving of documents. Privacy breaches due to clinical documents placed in a situation that allowed unauthorized viewing. |
Initial assessments
including InterRai |
Not completed within time-frames defined in ARRC. Baseline recordings at time of admission not recorded. Assessment outcomes not used as a basis of care planning to link assessment to goals and interventions. Additional detailed assessments not reviewed in a timely manner eg; six monthly to coincide with InterRai reassessments. Failure to re-assess for each period of admission eg; respite care. |
Clinical risk |
Assessment not describing risk. Risk not reflected in care plan interventions. Lack of risk reviews. Level of risk noted in interRai assessments not included in care planning |
Progress notes |
Not recorded in on a shift by shift basis. Lack evidence of regular registered nurse input. Writing beyond the bottom line of the page. Failure to put resident identifiers on each side of each page (this applies to other clinical documents as well). Lack evidence of interventions being implemented. Lack evidence of RN response to clinical symptoms reported by care staff. Lack of evidence of rationale for PRN medication administration or the resulting effect. |
Short Term
Care Plans |
Not developed for changes in clinical status eg; increased pain; infection; wounds, change in medication (to allow evaluation of effectiveness). 24 hours plans not developed for residents displaying behaviours of concern (challenging behaviours). Not evaluated regularly (I suggested at least once every 7 days) by a Registered Nurse. Not recorded as resolved or transferred to Long Term Care Plan. Not developed to implement instructions included in General Pracitioner consultation plans recorded in notes. |
Long Term
Care Plan (LTCP) |
Not reflective of all presenting potential and actual medical / clinical problems. Not documented within 3 weeks of the date of admission (ARRC requirement). Not changed at the time of health status / functional change. Interventions not reflective of each medical diagnosis. Interventions not changed within LTCP to reflect changes recorded in care plan evaluations. Frequency of clinical assessment for each actual clinical presentation eg; pain. Do not clearly indicate the level of function, assistance required for each component of care / support. Do not clearly evidence input and instruction from Medical or Nurse practitioner / Physiotherapist, Diversional Therapist, Dietitian,Psychiatric services for the elderly etc. |
Care Plan
Evaluations |
Review of care plans not reflecting changes in residents health status as they occur. Not reflective of how well the care plan goals/ objectives have been met since the previous evaluation. Not completed within ARRC defined time-frames (at least six monthly). |
Multi-Disciplinary
Input |
Lack evidence of MDT input into care plan reviews and/or evaluations. Lack evidence of resident, Next of Kin (NOK) / Family / Whanau / EPOA input into assessment and care planning. Lack of evidence of timely referral in response to clinical presentation eg; unintentional weight loss not referred to Dietitian. Failure to evidence implementing instructions ofMedical or Nurse Practitioner eg; B/P to be recorded daily for the next 7/7 may be noted in the medical consultation notes however not evidenced as having been done. Lack evidence of notification to NOK / EPOA relating to resident adverse events, change in health status, medical consults etc. |
Policy and
procedures |
Not consistent with service delivery as noted in clinical documentation. |
Internal audits are available through the online HCSL quality system utilised by our clients which allows tracking of compliance status and corrective actions as part of on-site quality and risk management. This means when the auditors arrive, there will be no surprises and you’ll know you’ve achieved excellence in care in conjunction with providing a compliant service.
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When balancing the clinical needs, requests and preferences of each resident in-conjunction with their right to choose, a number of factors need to be taken into consideration. We all recognise that theory and practice can change over time so when I asked Liz Beaglehole (Registered Dietitian) her professional view on this topic is, she offered the following:
The recommendation for older adults with diabetes in aged care facilities with stable diabetes is to provide an unrestrictive diet as much as possible. The notion of a ‘diabetic diet’ is outdated due to the increased risk of hypos and unwanted weight loss.
This is very individual however, a frail 80 year old woman with diabetes will likely have no diet restrictions however an obese 70 year old who may be otherwise stable would benefit from a more restrictive diet. Advice from a dietitian for individuals is recommended.
Overall, guidance from the resident about their wants is probably what determines the diet provided. This may be in accordance with recommendations or not.
Generally, the medications should be fitted to the usual eating pattern of the resident. In aged care facilities there are regular meals and generally balanced carbohydrates over the main meals (assuming good food intake) so usually this is fine. If someone has a reduced food intake, and is on insulin then a unrestrictive diet would be best.
For my menu planning I tend not to plan any special diabetic options on the cycle menus. I may include a low fat / low sugar dessert option if sites request, but generally my philosophy for aged care is not to restrict foods!
Liz is involved with a PEN (practiced based evidence in nutrition) review of the question ‘Do institutionalized, older adults (65 years of age or older) who closely follow a diet prescription have better control of their chronic disease (e.g. diabetes) than those who do not?‘ This is due by the end of March so further practice updates from this review may be available then. Liz noted that generally the evidence suggests there are no benefits with a prescriptive diet vs a more liberal one.
This article was kindly contributed by Liz Beaglehole NZRD (Canterbury Dietitians).
April 12th and 13th, 2018 – Christchurch
Presenters:
Gillian Robinson – Bachelor of Nursing, Registered Nurse, Lead Auditor, Management Consultant, Author
Liz Beaglehole – New Zealand Registered Dietitian, with a Post-graduate Diploma in Dietetics (with distinction), Canterbury Dietitians.
Ben Harris – Medical Laboratory Scientist, Honorary Lecturer for the University of Otago
Topics include:
Day One – Thursday 12th April – 9.00am to 4.30pm
- Age-related Residential Care (ARRC) – understanding the DHB funding service specifications
- Quality and Risk Management – striving and achieving excellence
- Clinical Leadership – how to lead the clinical team effectively
- Clinical Documentation – What, when, how and why to document
- Clinical Assessment and Care Planning – bringing it all together for better resident outcomes
- Microbiome – why understanding this is so important
- Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) – the current and pending impact
Day two – Friday 13th April (9.00am start, finish approximately 1.00pm)
- Urinary Tract Infections – to dip or not?!
- Norovirus and Influenza – latest updates
- Food Safety – Food Safety and Nutrition
- Question and Answer session
Attendees will supply their own lunch. Morning and afternoon tea will be provided.
Venue: Chapel Street Centre, Cnr Harewood Road and Chapel Street, Papanui, Christchurch. (Easy access from the airport)
Numbers will be limited so register today.
To register – email gill@agedcarecompliance.com and supply the names and designations of each staff member attending, and confirmation if they will be attending day one or day two or both days?
The attendance fee for this content filled education is $155 (plus GST per attendee to cover both days), $85.00 plus GST per attendee to cover either day one or day two.
We will respond with confirmation of registrations. Certificates of attendance will be provided.