Our services and commitment
Residents charter
The right to a high quality of life
To enable the residents to exercise their freedom of choice, by providing facilities for them to follow their own particular religious or political pursuits and to recognize their privacy all times
The right to fulfillment
To assist the residents to achieve their full potential capacity, however small in Respect to their physical and intellectual.
The right to dignity
To preserve the self-respect of our residents by affording them privacy and space, and practicing courtesy and respect toward the residents at all times.
The right to individuality
To respond to the individual needs of our residents, to enable them to maintain their Identity in respect of belief and opinions.
The Right to Esteem
To recognize the former status of the residents, their life experiences and talents. To get to know the relatives and visitors, and to then use all the information to help maintain the morale of the individual residents
Services
Hairdressers visit the home twice weekly. The cost of this service is not
included in the fees and will be invoiced separately
A chiropodist visits on a monthly basis. The cost of this service is not
included in the fees and will be invoiced separately.
Physiotherapists and occupational therapists can be made available to service
users, either by G.P. referral or privately, according to assessment.
Our house G.P. at the present time is Dr. Melees from Wallace house surgery in
Hertford. He holds weekly surgeries at the home. Residents are free to retain
their own G.P. if the G.P.is willing to continue to provide their service.
Activities are organized in the home by our staff.
They include monthly sing-a-longs, cheese andWine evenings, BBQ's (weather
permitting), clothes parties and celebration of all general annual events We
organize three trips away from the home each year to the seaside and to a local
wildlife park.
Religious and spiritual needs of residents are recognized,
Click Here to go
back to the top
Our staff
A Registered General Nurse is on duty in the home 24 hours a day.
All staff completes an in house induction program within 6 weeks of their
appointment
All staff completes a foundation-training course within 6 months of
appointment. Over 50 %of our present care staff is NVQ Level 2 trained at the
present time.
Our aim is to have 75% NVQ Level 2 trained by 2009, and 20% level 3 trained.
There is a first aider on duty at all times.
Nursing information
General Practiioner
Dr Mclees from Wallace House Surgery in Hertford is the G.P. for the nursing home. It is your choice to remain with your own G.P. as long as they are prepared to visit the nursing home at least every six weeks.
Medication
All medicines are supplied through BOOTS Chemists in Hertford as prescribed
by the G.P.
We use a blister pack system. Only Registered nurses can give out medicines
within the home.
Should you require any information regarding your medications please speak to
the nurse in charge or matron.
Incontinence
The Nursing home has an incontinence system in place, we hope discretely, should you require the use of this service at no extra cost to you, we can asses your needs and supply your requirements. For advice or any concerns you may have, please see matron.
Click Here to go
back to the top
Buildings and Gardens
The home is constructed on five floors, with access by two staircases and a
lift.
The home provides 24 single bedrooms, 20 with ensuite W.C. and showers.4 with
wash facilities.
5, double rooms, each with unsuited W.C. and showers, partition curtains ensure
privacy when required.
3 lounges with t.v. and music facilities, a dinning room.
A nurse call system operates throughout the home to centralized panels on every
floor.
The home is equipped with a fire alarm system.
Every room and corridor in the home is wheelchair accessible.
Laundry and kitchen facilities are based on the lower ground floor.
Personnel Effects
We encourage residents to bring to the home items that will assist in
personalizing their rooms and make them more comfortable e g. photos, pictures,
ornaments or a favorite armchair. TVs, radios, and music centres can be
accommodated but will have to be safety checked annually. Larger items of
furniture will be considered following consultation with the manager. All items
of clothing must be clearly labeled with the residents' full name prior to
admission.
Residents are requested to consider the advisability of bringing valuables and
jeweler into the home. The home provides facilities for the short term keeping
of small valuables and for the keeping of moderate amounts of spending monies.
Residents and their relatives are covered by insurance provided by the company
insurers. The certificate is displayed in matrons" office. This insurance does
NOT cover personal items in excess of £500, you may therefore consider taking
out further personal cover.
The home operates a resident’s charter, as enclosed in this guide. This
covers our arrangements for respecting the privacy and dignity of the
residents. However in the interest of safety the company reserves the right to
enter a resident’s room at all times. Alcohol may be kept and consumed in
reasonable amounts on a social basis. Should consumption rise to excessive
amounts this might lead to a review the homes ability to care for the resident
and ultimately the cancellation of this agreement Residents are allowed to keep
their own cigarettes or tobacco, but not the means to ignite them; we have
designated areas for smoking, our policy however is that no resident may smoke
unaccompanied.
The gardens are well kept and informal with easy access to wheelchair users.
A private car park at the rear of the house
- Telephone and T.V.ariel points in every room.
Click Here to go
back to the top
The equipment
The home is provided with 4 hoists and other moving and handling
equipment
The home has a sit in weighing machine.
Nursing beds are available should the resident's assessment indicate their
need.
Pressure relieving mattresses and equipment are available according to
individual assessment and needs.
Assisted bath and shower facilities are available
Service users personal allowance
Pocket monies are kept in the safe, in individual residents envelopes. A
file of money coming in and money being spent is kept in Matrons office:
amounts of cash in the envelopes must tall}' with the most recent balance in
the file.
Service users and/or their relatives may have access to the file at any
time.
Money will only be used to pay for services agreed with the service users
and/or their relatives e.g. hairdressing and chiropody.
When service users funds are low Matron will approach the person responsible
for their pocket money either personally- or by standard letter to request a
top up.
Pocket money funds are open to inspection by the Commission for Social Care
Inspection Units.
Visiting policy
Visitors to our residents are welcome at all times. We request that any
visitors sign in the visitor’s book in order to comply with fire safety
regulations.
There is no age limit for our visitors, although it is advisable to check with
senior staff before bringing very young babies into the home in case of
infection.
When visiting late at night we do ask that visitors telephone ahead of the
visit for reasons of security.
Should a resident become very poorly we will do our utmost to accommodate a
relative within the home.
Click Here to go
back to the top
Unwanted Visitors
The residents of Nightingale Nursing Home have the right to refuse visitors,
with or without explanation.
Nightingale is their home and it is their right to see in their home whom they
wish.
Staff are to act according to the wishes of the residents and only admit to the
home welcomed visitors.
Staff will be made aware of unwanted visitors at hand-over periods or via care
plans.
Admissions procedure
1 A pre-admission assesment must be carried out, to ensure that the home can
offer adequate care for the potential patient, and that the patient will fit
into the home.
2 When the patient arrives, take them and their relatives directly to their
room and familiarise them with their surroundings.
3 Allow the patient to settle in, offer a tray of tea if relatives are present,
leave them alone for a short while.
4 Help them to unpack, ensuring that clothes are clearly labelled, check
valuables and money into the safe complete a property list.
5 Collect all relevant information in order to complete: -
patient register
admission sheet of care plan.
moving and handling assessment.
risk assessment.
gp. transfer letter
6 Collect any drugs arriving with the patient, count them, and sign them onto a
completed mars sheet. lock all drugs into the appropriate drugs cupboards
7introduce new patients to existing ones at the earliest opportunity, (e.g.
their first mealtime at the home)
8 Familiarise them with all communal areas of the home, the nurse call system.
ava1libility of toilets
The staff
9 Ensure the floor plans throughout the home are updated.
Click Here to go
back to the top
10 Update the patient board in the nursing care manager's office.
11 At the first appropriate opportunity check the new patient over physically,
documenting any bruises, skin breaks or wounds in the nursing care plan.
This procedure is the same for both long and short stay patients.
re-admissions- collect previous files, check details and continue as above.
a) Completion of a drug sheet and recording of all medications received
b) Entrance onto the daily worksheet, the bath list, the birthday list and the
bowel chart.
c) Ensure the kitchen staff are aware of the new arrival and any specific
dietry needs or alergies
c) Ensure all room plans throughout the home are updated.
Emergency Admissions
THESE ARE ONLY PERMITTED IN INSTANCES WHERE THE WELFARE OF THE RESIDENT IS
MORE AT RISK OF HARM IN THEIR PRESENT SITUATION THAN AT THE HOME PRIOR TO ALL
ASSESMENTS BEING THOUROUGHLY CARRIED OUT.
IN SUCH CASES AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE MUST BE OBTAINED, AND THE REST AS
SOON AFTER ADMISSION AS POSSIBLE. PERMANENT PLACEMENT WILL NOT BE AGREED UNTIL
A COMPLETE ASSESMENT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
Residents Veiws
Due to the varying needs and abilities of our residents we do not feel that
resident meetings would be appropriate or useful in gathering views of the home
generally from everyone. To gather information we use a resident questionnaire
each year.
The questionnaire is slightly re-designed each year according to the findings
of the previous year. Each resident is requested to complete a questionnaire
and can be assisted if required by a family member, friend or member of staff.
We gather all the information together and write up our findings and make
Specific Objectives for the coming year to improve the home as requested by our
residents. The findings and specific objectives are on display in our Statement
of Purpose, which is on display in the reception area of the home.
Click Here to go
back to the top
Sugestions Box
All friends, relatives, visitors, residents and staff; -
Please feel free to pass on your ideas and suggestions for improvements to our
home via the box outside matron's office, anything, which could improve our
residents care and quality of life.
Please remember that this is not a complaint box, you need to see the nursing
care manager or the nurse in charge for those
Complaints procedure
We trust that our service users will be satisfied with the quality of care
they receive. However should any resident or their relative wish to raise a
concern or make a formal complaint, we wish you to feel free to raise your
concerns by; - Contacting the matron, Jayne Hewett. If not on duty at the time
of your concern then please discuss with the nurse in charge of the shift your
problem, and they will bring the matter to the matrons attention, and she will
contact you to discuss the matter further.The matron has a duty to investigate
and report her findings back to you within 28 days. - If you feel that the
matter remains unresolved or you are not happy to discuss the matter with the
matron your next step would be to speak to Mr Raja the proprietor of the home,
Our nominated company officer. If as a home we have been unable to address your
concerns satisfactorily, your next step is to contact your local inspector
COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL CARE INSPECTION
MERCURY HOUSE 1, BROADWATER ROAD WELWYN GARDEN CITY
HERTS AL7 3AL.
TEL-01707 379370/1/2/3.
FAX- 01707 379396
If none of these avenues has resolved the situation to your satisfaction then
you have the right to take your complaint to the local ombudsman, who
investigates complaints of injustice arising from misadministration by local
authorities and certain other bodies including care homes. They investigate
complaints about most matters but they cannot question what has been done
simply because someone does not agree with it.
MR J R WHITE LOCAL
Religon
We assist and our residents to continue with their religious
beliefs and practises.
The local priest from the Catholic Church visits the home most Fridays. He is
able to give communion or see any residents that wish to see him. Residents
also may visit the Catholic Church across the road to attend services, escorts
can be provided via church volunteers. Church of England practitioners can be
seen by the local vicar from St Marys Church, she visits the home most Mondays.
Other religions can be catered for at individual requests. We are happy for
residents to keep contact with their previous priests and vicars and will make
them welcome within our home.
Click Here to go
back to the top
