Clinical Orientation Section 6: Professional Direct Care Staff Patient/Client Care Policies and Procedures On-Call for Patient/Client Care The purpose of on-call is to ensure that patient/client care needs are met safely and appropriately after agency office hours, during weekends, and on holidays. The Agency assigns appropriately designated staff coverage for visits that need to be made after office hours, on weekends, or on holidays. The Agency ensures that an RN is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to calls. The RN can be contacted through the on-call phone or through the procedure listed in the policy. Review the following policy and procedure: Online Bookmark Title of Policy Provision of Care (PC) On-Call for Patient/Client Care Upon admission, agency staff will educate the patient/client and the caregiver on the process to access care from the Agency or from another health care provider after regular business hours. Alternative Communication The agency patient/client census includes a diverse group; therefore, it is necessary to meet a patient’s/client’s needs in order to provide appropriate and safe care. A patient/client (including companions) may not be able to speak or understand the language spoken by the Agency staff or may be visually, hearing, or speech impaired. Information must be provided to patients/clients (including companions) in plain language they understand, in a manner that is accessible, and timely to protect the privacy and independent decision- making ability of the individual with disabilities or limited English proficiency (LEP): • Individuals with disabilities, including accessible websites and the provision of auxiliary aids and services at no cost to the individual in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities Final Rule. • Individuals with LEP through the provision of language services auxiliary aids and services at no cost to individual, including but not limited to oral interpretation and written translations.
