Page 48 - Ombudsman Participant Manual Optimized_Neat

infectious illnesses – for example: CDiff, Staph, MRSDA, flu, etc.

They often establish protocol and policy.

Registered Nurse Practitioner A degreed & licensed nursing professional who can assess,

diagnose, treat, and – under the supervision of a physician –
prescribe medications, etc.

Laundry Aides Staff members who collect, clean, and return laundry – facility

linens and personal laundry if resident opts to have facility do

laundry for them. Supervised by Director of Laundry. Laundry

Aides are “front-line” in the laundry. They will collect large bins

of linens from units/floors; they will collect residents’ personal

laundry that is being done at the facility. They will take the soiled

laundry down to the laundry area and do the wash. They’ll fold,

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hang, and return the laundry to the units and resident rooms.

is important to mention that the laundry department may also be

responsible for labeling resident’s personal clothing, blankets,

etc. This is often “key” to preventing or tracking down lost items.

Tip: Typically, laundry personnel work early morning through

mid-afternoon and families/visitors visit later in the day with gifts

or things brought from home. There should be a mechanism for

getting those things labeled or down to laundry for the next day.

Often, lost items are items that have been placed in closets or

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drawers y families/visitors without being labeled. Most

laundries have a collection of non-labeled items that need to be

claimed. It’s a good place to start when looking for lost items.

Housekeepers Staff members who clean resident rooms, common areas and
office. Supervised by Director of Housekeeping.

Maintenance Staff Staff members who fix facility equipment, resident wheelchairs,

replaces light bulbs, shovels/clears snow, cuts grass, etc.

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Supervised y the Director of Maintenance. The roles &

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responsibility f the maintenance staff really does vary between

facilities. TIP: Of concern to ombudsmen would be who does the

work that impacts the daily life of the residents – changing light

bulbs, cleaning wheelchairs, replacing privacy curtains, etc. – may

also be the responsibility of housekeeping or even nursing.

Ombudsmen o not need to be too concerned about who is

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doing what – but be aware that there may be several

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people/entities n the facility when trying to achieve resolution

for concern or problem. Residents can bring their own personal
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items from home. Labelling – as discussed previously – is

important. Some facilities do have requirements for inspecting

electrical devices for safety/code. Another important tip: These

items need to be listed on the resident’s inventory sheet.

Typically, n inventory is done on admission but should be

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updated f anything is brought in throughout the duration of the

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resident’s stay. So, if a resident gets an “I-Pad” for their birthday

it VERY important that it be added to that inventory.
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Otherwise, lost or damaged, the resident has no proof that

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it was in their room/their possession. Finally, safeguarding these

devices/belongings/monies are of concern for the resident.

Resident should be encouraged to use their locked drawer/keys

Office of the LTC Ombudsman
Office of the LTC Ombudsman
Version 1.0 September 2020
Version 1.0 September 2020
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