Quality assurance
Transparency and clear rules
The "professional ethics and rules of practice for caregiving services" are regulated in an ordinance. This, as well as a transparent performance agreement and comprehensive documentation of the work, guarantees, among other things, high quality independent care services. In this, a caregiving agreement, in which the services to be provided are defined, forms the basis of the activities of independent caregivers. The caregiving contract also contains guidelines for everyday activities and emergencies, such as in the event of the deterioration of the condition of the person requiring care.
Caregiving contract
All services to be provided must be included in the caregiving contract.
Guidelines
The guidelines for everyday activities and emergencies must be included in the caregiving contract and regulate how caregivers behave in the case of deterioration of the condition of their customers (e.g. contacting family members, doctors or facilities, performing first aid measures).
Documentation
Independent caregivers are required to document the services provided in written form and make this documentation available to all those involved in the care and assistance.
Attention! Independent caregivers are under an obligation to maintain absolute confidentiality.
Running a housekeeping book
In the housekeeping book, all expenditure made by the independent caregiver for the person requiring care and all monies received are recorded. The housekeeping book must be kept with the document collection for a period of two years.
The expenditure groups should include as a minimum the following areas: Rent/operating costs, food, medicines, cleaning supplies, detergent, laundry, clothing, hygiene products, pet supplies, newspapers / magazines / books, furniture, utensils, plants & accessories
The expenditure groups should include as a minimum the following areas: Rent/operating costs, food, medicines, cleaning supplies, detergent, laundry, clothing, hygiene products, pet supplies, newspapers / magazines / books, furniture, utensils, plants & accessories
Nursing activities
The delegation of nursing and medical activities
Delegation of nursing and medical activities means the transfer of nursing or medical activities to independent caregivers. In addition to a written order, this also requires guidance and instruction by a healthcare professional.
Requirements for the delegation of medical and nursing activities
For the purposes of quality assurance, but also for legal protection the following conditions must always be met when delegating medical and nursing activities:
The delegation of medical and nursing activities may only be carried out in individual cases. This means that independent caregivers are allowed to perform the transferred activities only to the person for whom the delegation is made. Nursing and medical activities may be performed only if the independent caregiver is constantly or at least regularly present in the household of the person requiring care for prolonged periods. Independent caregivers may care for a maximum of three people who are related to each other per household. There must be written consent of the person requiring care or a family member.
There must be a written order concerning the activities from authorised healthcare professionals.
As part of the guidance and instruction, an explicit reference to the possibility of rejection of the assumption of activities by the caregiver must be given.
The person who carries out the instructions and training must make sure that the caregiver has the necessary skills to carry out the activities transferred.
The transfer of nursing and medical activities is limited and ends at the latest with the respective caregiving relationship.
