Page 9 - January 2020 Impression

• Flashlight: Store a flashlight in your car for changing a tire, jump-starting your

car, walking to get assistance in the dark and much more. A handheld flashlight is
more durable than a smartphone flashlight.

• Nonperishable snacks and water: If you are stuck in your car for hours or
days, nonperishable snacks and bottles of water can be lifesavers.

• First-aid kit: If you are injured in an accident, having a first-aid kit on hand can
be useful in any cold weather crisis.

• Blanket: A blanket will keep you warm in the event that you need to stay in your
car for an extended period of time.

For additional tips, check out CEPAR’s winter storm safety tips.

Even the best-prepared staff members can find themselves a bundle of nervous energy
on the day of a Joint Commission survey. That fear can lead to uncertainty or even panic

if the staff member is pulled aside to answer questions from a surveyor. However, there
are a number of methods to prevent the "Joint Commission jitters."

Make sure you understand the surveyor's question. If you do not understand

the question, don't be afraid to ask for a clarification. You can ask them to phrase it in a
different way. This can also buy you a few seconds to mull over your answer.

When asked a question, just answer the question the surveyor asked. There

is an understandable tendency to "over answer" a question, particularly when the staff
member is nervous. This can have a domino effect, leading the surveyor down a path he
or she had not intended to follow.

If you don't know the answer . . . don't make one up. This may seem like an
obvious tip, but when nervousness kicks in, it is more common than one would think for
a staff member to throw out what feels like the right answer-but isn't. Rather than make

up an answer, tell the surveyor how you would find out the answer.

Staff members simply need to be able to talk about what they do on a daily basis. We
have good policies and procedures that are compliant with Joint Commission standards.

As long as staff are trained and oriented to those policies and procedures, the rest is
easy.