Policies

Most facilities will ask you for a copy of your RN license and any credentials you have such as BCLS, ACLS, Fetal Heart Monitoring, etc. during your orientation to the facility. Be sure to bring these with you. You should always have available while you are working in any facility.

During your hospital orientation you may be required to do much of the same safety, HIPAA, age specific, etc. training and testing that you will be doing by completing this packet. Please understand that the facilities all require this to be done prior to your start date but still require their own specific training and testing. We strive to provide the most comprehensive, JCAHO compliant orientation and testing, however some facilities have very specific, individualized requirements.

• Parking
• Dress Code
• Smoking Policy
• Breaks/Lunches
• Chain of Command
• Emergency Codes
• Quality Improvement - How are you expected to participate in the facility's Quality Improvement processes

As always, you will be expected to follow individual facility policy related to each of the above.

Mission Statement:

Emerald is dedicated to providing for the growing supplemental nurse staffing needs to healthcare facilities throughout California, Texas, Arizona, Florida and Nevada by providing the most efficient and effective recruitment of qualified registered nurses while meeting all regulatory compliance requirements. We provide superior customer service to both our nurses and our healthcare clients. It is our belief that by playing a vital role in placing nurses who excel in their work, Emerald significantly affects the quality of direct patient care.

All Epic Travel Staffing nurses will report all actual and suspected incidences of child and/or dependent/elder abuse according to State & Federal mandates. Travel nurses are expected to inquire at each facility they are assigned to as to the appropriate personnel/agencies to contact in the event of abuse suspected or witnessed at the assigned facility. An inability to locate the correct agency for reporting purposes is not an acceptable reason for not reporting abuse!

Child Abuse & Neglect (Penal Code 11166)

Section 11166 of the California Penal Code REQUIRES any health practitioner, in his/her professional capacity or within the scope of his/her employment who has knowledge of or observes a child whom he/she knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse must report the known or suspected instance of child abuse to a child protective agency immediately or as soon as practically possible by telephone and prepare and send a written report thereof within 36 hours of receiving the information about the incident. "Reasonable suspicion" means that it is objectively reasonable for a person to entertain such a suspicion, based upon facts that could cause a reasonable person in a like position, drawing when appropriate on his/her training and experience, to suspect child abuse.

Dependent/Elder Abuse (Welfare & Institutions Code Section 15630)

California law requires health practitioners, who (in their professional capacity or within the scope of their employment) observe evidence of or have been told by an elder or dependent adult that he/she is a victim of physical abuse are REQUIRED to report this to county adult protective services or a local law enforcement agency immediately, or as soon as possible, by telephone with a written report submitted within two working days. State law PERMITS reporting of other types of abuse such as neglect, intimidation, fiduciary abuse, abandonment, isolation, or other treatment that results in physical harm, pain, or mental suffering when the reporter has knowledge of or reasonably suspects one or more of these types of abuse have occurred. Elders are defined as persons 65 years or older, and dependent adults are defined as persons between the ages of 18-64 whose physical or mental limitations restrict their ability to care for themselves.

Suspected Inflicted Injury as a Result of Assaultive or Abusive Conduct (AB 1652 & Penal Code 11160)

Any health practitioner employed in a health facility, or clinic who has knowledge of, or observes, in his/her professional capacity or within the scope of his/her employment, a patient whom he/she knows or reasonably suspects is a person suffering from any wound or other injury inflicted by his/her own act or inflicted by another where the injury is by means of a knife, firearm, or other deadly weapon, or suffering from any wound or other physical injury inflicted upon the person where the injury is the result of assaultive or abuse conduct shall make a report to a local law enforcement agency, by telephone, immediately or as soon as practically possible. A written report shall be prepared and sent to the local law enforcement agency within two working days of receiving the information regarding the person.

Failure to comply with these laws is a misdemeanor, in California, punishable by up to six months in jail, by a fine of $1000, or both.

It is the policy of Epic Travel Staffing (EHS) that all employees must report to work completely free from the presence of illegal drugs and/or the effect of alcohol. Employees, while working, are prohibited from purchasing, transferring, using or possessing illegal drugs or from abusing alcohol or prescription drugs in any way that is illegal.

Drug testing is a requirement for all assignments and general employment as a travel nurse (employee) with EHS. All employees must consent to drug testing prior to beginning an assignment, annually thereafter and to additional testing if illicit drug use is suspected (i.e. missing narcotics, impaired performance, erratic behavior, etc.). Employees who decline to undergo drug testing will not be considered for employment. Employees who have a positive drug test result will be terminated from theit current contract, be reported to the board of nursing for the license they are working under, and will be put on employment hold until the time they can provide EHS with proof from the board of nursing that their issue has been resolved.

The use of prescription drugs, as part of a prescribed medical treatment by a licensed physician is not prohibited. Each drug test is reviewed by the MRO (medical review office) for these occurances to vet out any necessary medical prescriptions. Nurses are required to inform his/her supervisor at the assigned facility and the Director of Nursing at Epic Travel Staffing if the legal use of a prescription drug will in any way affect the ability of the nurse to perform his/her assigned job. It is the employee's responsibility to determine whether a prescribed drug may impair job performance. Working while impaired in any way will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

It is the employee's responsibility to seek assistance from drug or alcohol rehabilitation programs before this problem affects judgment, performance or behavior.

All employees should report evidence of alcohol or drug abuse to a supervisor at the assigned facility immediately. In cases where the use of alcohol or drugs pose an imminent threat to the safety of persons or property, an employee must report the violation. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action for the non-reporting employee.

Refusing to comply with this policy may be cause for disciplinary actions, up to and including termination.

Nothing in this policy shall be construed to alter or amend the at-will employment relationship between Epic Travel Staffing and its employees.

This policy provides guidelines only related to attendance, performance, behavior and progressive disciplinary action for Epic Travel Staffing travel nurses; not all possible situations are covered specifically in this policy.

Tardiness

Emerald nurses are expected to be on their assigned unit ready to begin working prior to the beginning of the shift. Tardiness is defined by the facility the nurse is assigned. Excessive tardiness will be subject to disciplinary action.

Sick Calls/Cancellations

When nurses accept a contractual assignment, they have committed themselves to the assigned facility and to Emerald. If a sick call or cancellation becomes necessary, the nurse is expected to give both the assigned facility AND Emerald a four (4) hour notice. More than two (2) sick calls/cancellations in a thirty (30) day period, or more than one (1) sick call with less than four (4) hours notice will be grounds for disciplinary action.

Unexcused Absence - No Call/Show

When a nurse does not notify the assigned facility and/or Emerald and does not report to duty as scheduled, the no call/no show is grounds for immediate termination.

Performance and Behavior

Emerald nurses are expected to conduct themselves professionally at all times. This includes both verbal and non-verbal communication with patients, family, staff and management. Nurses are expected to maintain professional, courteous attitudes at all times. Any complaints made by the assigned facility related to performance and/or behavioral issues about the nurse will be investigated by the Director of Nursing, or designee, at Emerald. Unsatisfactory work performance or behavior is unacceptable and may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination.

Disciplinary Action Procedures

Generally, Emerald utilizes progressive discipline in which performance or behavior problems are dealt with progressively stricter actions if improvement is not made. However, in some cases, depending on the severity of the unacceptable behavior or performance, immediate termination may be necessary. The following actions will be utilized for non-compliance with Emerald policies: * Counseling/Verbal Warning - verbal consultation with nurse to identify problem(s), appropriate actions and expected outcomes.

* Written Warning - A written warning will be given if a problem/issue identified during counseling/verbal warning continues.

* Termination - Termination will occur when all efforts to satisfactorily resolve the issue of concern have been exhausted and/or if the severity of the issue warrants termination.

The confidentiality of protected health information (PHI*) is protected by law and Epic Travel Staffing policy. The intent of these laws and policy is to assure that confidentiality of information is appropriately maintained when any such information is used for business or clinical operations. Nurses may see or hear confidential information in any form (oral, written, electronic) regarding patients and/or their family members (i.e. patient records, test results, conversations, financial information).

All nurses employed with Epic Travel Staffing are expected to adhere to the following: *Maintain and protect the privacy of all business and medical information relating to patients.

*Acknowledge that any confidential information learned on the job does not belong to the nurse and he/she has no right or ownership to it. Access to confidential information may be removed by the facility a nurse is assigned to at any time for any reason. *Will not misuse confidential information and will only access information that is necessary for the nurse to do his/her job. The nurse will not use or disclose any confidential information in any manner (verbal, written, electronic) unless required to do so in order to provide appropriate and necessary care to a patient. *Will not share, alter or destroy any confidential information unless it is a necessary part of the job. If it is necessary, the nurse will follow the correct procedure as directed at the assigned facility. Nurse will not share any patient names with Emerald staff. *Will only print or download information from any computer system when it is necessary for a legitimate work related purpose. The nurse is accountable for this information until it is properly disposed of or filed. *Will keep any computer password secret and will not share it. The nurse is responsible to protect his/her password or other access to confidential information. The nurse understands that use of an electronic system at the assigned facility may be periodically monitored and audited to ensure compliance with the law. *Must immediately report to the assigned hospital supervisor/manager if he/she suspects anyone is misusing confidential information or is using his/her password. Epic Travel Staffing will not tolerate any retaliation against the nurse for making such a report. *Upon termination of my assignment with any health care facility, the nurse will promptly return any facility documents or data containing that facility's confidential information or date that is in my possession or control. *Will follow the HIPPA policy and procedures as defined by each individual health care facility the nurse may be assigned to during employment with Epic Travel Staffing.

Any failure to comply with each term in this agreement may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of assignment and/or employment with Epic Travel Staffing.

*PHI is defined as any information, including demographic information, collected from an individual that (a) is created or received by a health care provider, health plan, employer or health care clearing hours; and (b) relates to the past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual, the provision of health care to an individual, or the past, present, or future payment for the provision for health care to an individual and identifies the individual or with respect to which there is a reasonable basis to believe that the information can be used to identify the individual.

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to protecting medical information about you. We create an employee record on you to ensure you meet the requirements of healthcare facilities that you may be assigned a travel nurse position. We need this record to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all of the medical information/records of you that we receive as part of your employment with us and as required by contracted healthcare facilities. Your contracted healthcare facility may have different policies or notices regarding the healthcare facility's use and disclosure of your medical information created in our office. This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose medical information about you. We also describe your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of medical information.

The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose medical information. For each category of uses or disclosures we will explain what we mean and try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.

We reserve the right to change this notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed notice effective for medical information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. The notice will contain an effective date.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the company or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with the company, contact the Human Resources/Clinical Department. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

Other uses and disclosures of medical information not covered by this notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written permission. If you provide us permission to use or disclose medical information about you, you may revoke that permission, in writing, at any time. If you revoke your permission, we will no longer use or disclose medical information about you for the reasons covered by your written authorization. You understand that we are unable to take back any disclosures we have already made with your permission, and that we are required to retain our records of the medical information that we have already received on you.

Each professional has a legal duty to maintain the medical record in sufficient detail. Inadequate documentation may result in liability or non-reimbursement

Patients expect a lot from nurses - to have clinical expertise, to be advocates, to provide education, etc. Nurses are the face and personality of any facility. They are everything to the patients - response time, pain management, source of information, compassion & concern. The overall perception by patients of the care received is influenced dramatically by the way you communicate.

General standards of conduct exist to ensure orderly operation and provide the best possible work environment. All employees are required to adhere to all policies, procedures and professional standards of conduct. Failure to abide by these rules may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

INFRACTIONS – While it is not intended to be an exhaustive list, the types of misconduct listed below are examples of conduct that may lead to disciplinary action, including immediate termination.

Floating Policy: Emerald travel nurses are expected float, as needed, to alternate patient care units as long as the traveler has the competency and skills to provide care to the patient population in the alternate unit. Floating of nursing personnel is often necessary in order for a hospital to provide sufficient nursing staff throughout the hospital.

Keep in mind:

Policy: All Emerald travel nurses are to inform Epic Travel Staffing of any unexpected incidents, including errors, unanticipated deaths and other events, injuries, and safety hazards related to the care and services provided. This information will be used for record keeping and tracking purposes. The reporting of errors contributes to improved patient safety and to the development of valuable educational services for the prevention of future errors.

Procedure: If any of the following occur to a patient during the shift the patient is assigned to you, call the Director of Nursing at (800) 917-5055 within 72 hours to report the event/occurrence. Report the date, time, type of occurrence, outcome, hospital and your name (punitive action will not be taken for reporting).

Patient falls - witnessed or unwitnessed, with or without patient injury
Medication errors - includes, but not limited to, misinterpretations, miscalculations, misadministrations, difficulty in interpreting handwritten orders, and misunderstanding of verbal orders, near misses.
Sentinel events - A sentinel event is an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof. Serious injury specifically includes loss of limb or function. The phrase, "or the risk thereof" includes any process variation for which a recurrence would carry a significant chance of a serious adverse outcome.
The event has resulted in an unanticipated death or major permanent loss of function, not related to the natural course of the patient's illness or underlying condition, ("Major permanent loss of function" means sensory, motor, physiologic, or intellectual impairment not present on admission requiring continued treatment or life-style change) or
The event is one of the following (even if the outcome was not death or major permanent loss of function unrelated to the natural course of the patient's illness or underlying condition):
Suicide of any individual receiving care, treatment or services in a staffed around-the-clock care setting or within 72 hours of discharge
Unanticipated death of a full-term infant
Abduction of any individual receiving care, treatment or services
Discharge of an infant to the wrong family
Rape - defined as unconsented sexual contact involving a patient and another patient, staff member, or unknown perpetrator while being treated or on the premises of the health care organization, including oral, vaginal or anal penetration or fondling of the patient's sex organ(s) by another individual's hand, sex organ or object.
Hemolytic transfusion reaction involving administration of blood or blood products having major blood group incompatibilities
Surgery on the wrong individual or wrong body part
Security Incidents - this would such things as theft and property damage

In the early 20th century, a worker injured on the job had to sue his employer to recover medical expenses and lost wages. Lawsuits took months and sometimes years. Juries had to decide who was at fault and how much, if anything, would be paid. In most instances, the worker got nothing. It was costly, time consuming, and often unfair.

Today, the California workers' compensation law provides a faster, fairer way to take care of injured workers…where fault doesn't have to be proved to recover medical expenses and lost wages. This job-injury insurance is paid for by your employer and supervised by the state. If you can't work due to a job-related injury or illness, workers' compensation pays your medical bills and provides money to help replace lost wages until you can return to work.

Almost every employee in California is protected by workers' compensation, but there are a few exceptions. People in business for themselves and unpaid volunteers may not be covered. Maritime workers and federal employees are covered by similar laws. If you have a question about coverage, ask your employer.

Any injury or illness is covered if it's due to your job. It can be caused by one event, like ea fall, or repeated exposures, such as repetitive motion over time. Everything from first-aid type injuries to serious accidents are covered. Workers' compensation even covers injuries - including physical or psychiatric injuries - resulting from a workplace crime. (Some injuries from voluntary, off-duty recreational, social or athletic activity - for example, the company bowling team - may not be covered. Check with your supervisor or the claim administrator listed at the end of this document if you have questions.).

Coverage is automatic and immediate. There is no qualifying period, no need to earn a certain amount in wages before you are covered…protection begins the first minute you are on the job.

Immediately notify your supervisor or the employer representative listed on the back of this pamphlet so you can get medical help right away. If it's more than a simple first-aid injury, your employer will give you a claim form so you can describe the injury and how, when and where it happened. To file a claim, complete the "Employee" section of the claim form, keep one copy and return the rest to your employer. You employer will then complete the "Employer" section of the claim form and send one to the claims administrator, who is responsible for handling your claim and notifying you about your eligibility for benefits.

Benefits can't start until the claims administrator knows the injury, so report the injury and file the claim form as soon as possible. State law requires employers to authorize medical treatment within one working day of receiving a claim form, and employers may be liable for as much as $10,000 in treatment until a claim is accepted or rejected. Delays in reporting may delay workers' compensation benefits, and you many not be able to get benefits if you don't file a claim within one year of the date of injury, the date you knew the injury was work related, or the date benefits were last provided. To insure your right to benefits, report every injury, no matter how slight, and request a claim form if it's more than a simple first aid injury.

The California workers' compensation law guarantees you three kinds of benefits:

Workers' Compensation is sometimes confused with State Disability Insurance (SDI). They seem similar, but there are important differences. Workers' compensation insurance covers on-the-job injuries and illnesses and is paid for entirely by your employer. On the other hand, SDI covers off-the-job injuries or sickness, and is paid for by deductions from your paycheck. If you are not receiving workers' compensation benefits, you may me able to get State Disability benefits. For information, call the local office of the state Employment Development Department listed in the government pages of your phone book.

Ask your supervisor or employer representative. Or contact the workers' compensation claims administrator (the name, address, and phone number are listed at the end of this document and are posted at your workplace). You can also contact and information and assistance officer at the State Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC). Information and assistance officers are available at no charge to answer questions, review problems and provide additional written information about workers' compensation. The local office is listed at the end of this document and is posted at your workplace, or you can call 800-736-7401, check the local listing in the white pages of the phone book under State Government Officers/Industrial Relations/Workers' Compensation, or go to the DWC web site athttp://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc.

You can be treated immediately by your personal medical doctor (M.D) or a doctor fo osteopathy (D.O) if:

Good medical care is important - to you, your family and your employer. Quality medical treatment is the quickest way to recover.

*Seek first aid. If emergency medical care is needed, call for help immediately (see emergency telephone numbers below) and get the best available treatment until emergency personnel arrive.

*Report injuries immediately to your supervisor or employer representative. Your employer is required to provide you with a claim form within one working day of learning of your injury, so insure your rights to benefits by reporting every injury, no matter how slight, and request a claim form if it's more than a simple first-aid injury. Your employer must notify the claims administrator and authorize medical treatment within one working day of receiving your claim form, and will direct you to a doctor, clinic or hospital if necessary. If your claim or benefits are denied, you have a right to challenge the decision, the there are deadlines for filing the necessary papers at the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board, so don't delay.

*Call your employer representative or claims administrator if you have questions or problems. It is illegal for an employer to fire or discriminate against you just because you file, intend to file, or settle a workers' compensation claim, or because you testify for a co-worker who was injured. If you prove this kind of discrimination, you will be entitled to job reinstatement, lost wages and increased benefits, plus costs and expenses up to a maximum set but the state legislature.

Epic Travel Staffing shall notify its employees, and shall require each subcontractor to notify its employees, that they may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit under the Federal Income Tax laws. Such notice shall be provided in accordance with the requirements set forth in Internal Revenue Services Notice 1015. www.irs.ustreas.gov

ADVANCE EARNED INCOME CREDIT (EIC) PAYMENT

An Employee who is eligible for the income credit (EIC) and has a qualifying child is entitled to receive EIC payments with his or her pay during the year. To get these payments, the Employee must provide to the Employer a properly completed W-5, Earned Income Credit Advance Payment Certificate, either using the paper form or using an approved electronic format. The employer is required to make advance EIC payments to employees who give the Employer a completed and signed Form W-5. Certain Employees who do not have a qualifying child may be able to claim the EIC payments.

*I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS MEMO IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

For most current information regarding Earned Income Credit (EIC) Payments please visit the Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Services website:www.irs.ustreas.gov

(INSERT AGENCY ‘S NAME)

NON-DISCRIMINATION IN SERVICES POLICY

(Insert Contractor’s or Subcontract’s Name) shall not discriminate in the prevision of services because of race, color, religion, national original, ancestry, ethnic group identification, sex, age, condition of physical or mental handicap (as defined in 41 CFR 60-741.2), in accordance with requirements of Federal and State laws, or in any manner on the basis of the client‘s/patient’s sexual orientation.

Discrimination of services is defined as, but is not limited to, the following; denying any person any service or benefit or the availability of the facility; providing any service or benefit to any person which is not equivalent, or is provided in a non-equivalent manner, or at a non- equivalent time, from that provided to other; subjecting any person to segregation or service; restricting any person in any way in the enjoyment of any advantage or privilege enjoyed by others receiving any service or benefit; and treating any person differently for others in determining admission, enrollment quota, eligibility, membership, or any other requirements or conditions which persons must meet in order to be provided any service or benefit. (Contractor/Subcontractor’s) shall take affirmative action to ensure that intended beneficiaries of (Contractor’s/Subcontractor’s) services are provided without regard to race, color, religion, national original, ethnic group identification, ancestry, sex, age, condition of physical or mental handicap, or sexual orientation.

Complains regarding discrimination in provisions of services shall be directed to (Contractor/Subcontractor’s Executive Director), (Contractor/Subcontractor’s address), (Contractor/Subcontractor’s telephone number). Individuals dissatisfied with (Contractor/Subcontractor’s) resolution of services by (Contractor/Subcontractor’s) personnel may direct the matter to Director, Department of Health Services, Director, 313 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, 90012.

Further, Individuals dissatisfied with the County’s resolution or decision with respect to the complaint of alleged discrimination may appeal the matter to the State Department of Health Services’ Affirmative Division.

Contractor may use the above sample policy for purpose of documentation of notification of all its officers, employees, and agents providing services.

Employment Acknowledgment: