Page 10 - Rehab 2020

STANDARDS OF PRACTICE

It is the practice of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York to provide high quality services for
people with physical and/or cognitive impairments. The purpose of these services is to foster
independence, adjustment to community life, productivity and the achievement or retaining of an
appropriate social and/or economic role in society. Further, it is the policy to provide such services
in accordance with the highest quality evidence-based principles and in compliance with all
applicable laws, rules, regulations and ethical standards.

1. Rehab therapists will render services consistent with contemporary evidence-based principles
endorsed by the American Physical Therapy Association, the American Occupational
Therapy Association and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

2. Services will be provided in accordance with the practice acts governing the Physical
Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy Practices in New York State.

3. In addition to complying with all policies and procedures established by VNSNY and the
regulations of the State of New York, rehab therapists will conduct themselves in accordance
with the code of ethics endorsed by VNSNY and their Professional Associations.

4. A complete assessment will be performed on each patient and will include all elements
defined in the assessment policies, including the patient/family’s perception of problems and
identification of concerns. The assessment process provides the foundation and rationale for
all patient care planning and clinical interventions planned.

5. Ongoing assessments will determine if the standard of care continue to be appropriate to
meet the patient’s needs. The ongoing assessment process guides the development of
alternative goals and plans of care.

6. Treatments and procedures are provided in accordance with agency policies and standards of
clinical practice. The clinician is expected to utilize professional practice skills in developing,
implementing, and assessing the efficacy of the care delivered and revising the plan of care,
as indicated.

7. Basic principles of patient education and home safety are applied in the instruction and
supervision of the patient, family and others involved in the patient’s care.

8. Coordination of multidisciplinary services is the responsibility of the Coordinator of Care. It
is incumbent upon each rehab professional to ensure their plan of care gets communicated.

9. Preventative interventions are provided by identification of potential complications and
actions taken on that potential. Actions may include alerting the patient/family,
intervention(s), teaching or referral(s), as appropriate.

10. The clinician evaluates the appropriateness of care delivery and the patient’s response to care
on an ongoing basis. These findings provide the basis for the establishment of revised goals
and/or therapeutic interventions.
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