Medical At Hammer we pay very close attention to the health needs of those we support. We take great pride in our in-house nursing department. Our experienced nurses consult and empower staff teams and medical providers to ensure quality care for those we serve while supporting each other. Nurse Involvement The basic function of a Hammer nurse is to promote optimum development and health of the people we serve and assist other staff in meeting the regulations necessary for licensing. Every home/apartment is assigned a nurse who will interact with individuals in a supportive, caring and private manner. The nurse is involved with assessing each individual’s medical needs and aiding the families and outside health providers in developing and implementing a care plan for each person. Staff Member Involvement The staff members who work in our group homes participate in a rigorous training program prior to administering medication. These staff members implement the medical plan developed by the nurse in conjunction with families and medical providers. These care plans are continuously updated with feedback and observations based on staff member’s daily interactions with individuals. Our staff members are able to contact our nursing team any time of day via phone and email. Our nursing team also provides after-hours emergency cell phone coverage. Each house is provided with an ipad so that if the nurse needs to actually see the individual for any reason – they are able to have that visual contact. Medication Systems Hammer uses an online software program for documentation of medication administration. It provides electronic access to medication records for Hammer nurses and direct support professionals in each home. This improves accuracy, increases efficiency and allows staff members to respond to medical needs with the most up-to-date information. Hammer uses a pharmacy called Geritom. We strongly recommend the use of this service to ensure consistency for our staff members who pass the medications. Hammer’s medication training focuses their specific packaging styles and label information; deviations from this packaging can prove troublesome in the medication administration process. Medical Appointments Hammer is mandated by state and county agencies to provide individuals with proper medical care. As an organization, we ensure that those we support are seen by all necessary medical professionals in a timely manner. In most cases, Hammer nurses and/or house staff will schedule, transport and advocate for all medical appointments. We do
encourage families to stay involved with this process as much as possible so, in some cases, these duties are shared with families. In order to adequately track all medication orders, changes and updates, our nurses developed a unique “referral form” for each appointment. These forms include all of the individual’s medications, allergies, medical diagnosis, etc, as well as areas for the physician to transcribe orders as they see fit. Also on this form is the contact information for the house nurse so the physician’s office can fax the form to the nurse when the appointment is completed. This system ensures that all orders are communicated efficiently and effectively. Coordination with Day Services Hammer house staff members and nurses also communicate and coordinate medical needs with others i.e. day programs, schools, family members etc. With adequate notice and open communication, we make sure that all team members have the medications they need for administrations which need to occur outside of the home.