Nursing 108

N108: Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse Role Study Guide Employers are responsible for providing “reasonable accommodations” for disabled workers in order for them to perform their job. The ADA applies to all areas of life. This includes the right of people to obtain healthcare regardless of disability. The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) of 1990 is a federal law that guarantees that patients have the information needed to make informed decisions. What patients need to know under the law is their right to consent or refuse treatments. The act mandates that an advance directive must be noted in the patient’s chart and a copy in the record. Employees require education about patients’ rights. For all Medicare and Medicaid reimbursed agencies, the patient must be given written information about advance directives, have their advance directives recognized, and asked if they have one. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) was passed in 1996, which contains a significant section regarding the privacy of protected health information (PHI). A patient’s PHI refers to individually identifiable data about a person’s health or healthcare. This act made privacy in regard to healthcare a legally supported right at the federal level. Based on this, all healthcare agencies and health plans are required to provide training for all employees in regard to privacy rules and the procedures that ensure compliance. There are significant monetary penalties for breaches of privacy. Many facilities have adopted employment policies that include dismissal for certain types of breaches of patient confidentiality. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA) regulates agencies that receive federal funding and sets standards for nursing care in long-term care facilities. Included are the standards of education and certification of nursing assistants who work in nursing homes, issues to decrease the use of restraints, patient privacy, and the physical, mental, and psychological well-being of residents. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires proper labeling of chemicals, storage in their original containers, and other safeguards for workers in healthcare and other work situations. It also mandates actions and dictates the use of equipment in the workplace to improve the health and safety of the working environment. The following areas are covered under the OSHA law: • Safe Medical Devices Act • Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) • Universal precautions • Standard precautions • Body substance isolation • National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) safety research • Occupational safety and health review committee (OSHRC) reviews noncompliance Included under the OSHA act is The Environmental Acts , which include the transmission of an infectious disease while caring for a patient is an occupational hazard for nurses and other healthcare workers. As a result, OSHA created the Blood Borne Pathogen Standard to prevent the transmission of Hepatitis B, C, HIV, and other pathogens. It also created the Hepatitis B immunization program. The

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