GENERAL PROVISIONS MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Division of Veterans Healthcare Services (DVHS) is to provide veterans and eligible others with dignified, compassionate, and professional long-term health care.
PHILOSOPHY
It is the philosophy of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes (VMH) to provide a setting for residential living which meets the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the resident, without regard to financial status, social position, race, color or creed. The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes provide a secure and comfortable environment where the resident maintains a sense of high self-esteem, has the opportunity for self-expression, and maintains a feeling of independence and self-direction. It is the goal of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA) to provide the highest quality of services, from a qualified knowledgeable staff, in a manner that enables the resident to understand the purpose of, and need for, such health care services. GOVERNING AUTHORITY
The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes (VMH) are owned by the State of New Jersey and operate under the jurisdiction of The Adjutant General (TAG) of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA), through its Division of Veterans Healthcare Services (DVHS). Under the general policies established by The Adjutant General, an Advisory Council, whose members are appointed by the Governor for each of the Homes, shall serve to assist and advise the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in the operation of the veterans’ facilities, and shall:
DEVELOPMENT, MODIFICATION, DELETION
PURPOSE. To established a system to incorporate developments, modifications, and deletions to the Divisional Policy and Procedure Manual by the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes. DEFINITION. Development is creating and/or writing a policy and/or procedure. Modification is altering an existing policy and/or procedure. Deletion is to eliminate a policy and/or procedure from the Divisional Manual. PROCEDURE.
FORMS CODIFICATION
DIVISIONAL POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL. Numbering of the policies and procedures will be accomplished as follows: The first two numbers shall indicate the Departmental Section. (See Table of Contents Codification.) EXAMPLE: 07-02-001 – Resident Activities The second two numbers will indicate the appropriate subsections of the Policy and Procedure Manual. EXAMPLE: 07-02-002 – Resident Activities – Volunteer Program The third and final numbers shall indicate the direct placement of the informative material and procedures included in the subsections. EXAMPLE: 07-02-003 – Resident Activities - Donations
FACILITY PROCEDURAL MANUALS. Facility manuals will contain procedures only. Numbers will be accomplished as follows: -The first two numbers shall indicate the Departmental Section. -The second three numbers will indicate the placement of procedures under the Departmental Section.
The coding system is a ten-digit alpha-numeric code. EXAMPLE: The Policy and Procedure Committee of the using facility will approve the facility’s forms. A “Forms Register” will be maintained whereby all forms necessary for implementation are submitted for prior administrative review and approval, with appropriate instructions for usage and substantiation of the need for such a form. Revised forms will show the month and year of revision. Departmental forms will carry the following department alphabetic designations:
Copies of all forms and instructions for use will be filed in the forms register and maintained through the designated department of each facility. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
SCOPE AND PURPOSE. The Divisional Policy and Procedure Manual contains guidelines intended to ensure that quality care is delivered in the three long-term care facilities throughout New Jersey, within the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Components of quality care addressed by these policies and procedures include: access to care, continuity of services, comprehensiveness of care, coordination of services, humaneness of treatment, safety of the environment, professionalism of staff, and participation in useful studies. DEFINITIONS. The following words and terms, when used in the Divisional Policy and Procedure Manual, have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: “Bed” or “licensed bed” means – with reference to a veterans home resident - the item of furniture assigned to no more than one veterans home resident for sleeping, resting, relaxing, or otherwise used for the veterans home resident’s personal comfort or convenience. In reference to a Veterans Memorial Home facility, one of the total number of beds for which each licensed long-term care facility is approved by the Commissioner of the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services, which is used for veterans home resident care. “Facility” means a New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home, licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, to provide health care under medical supervision and continuous nursing care for 24 or more consecutive hours. “Veterans Home Resident” (VHR) means a person who is under medical care and treatment in the facility, and who resides in the facility. Also referred to as a resident or patient. “Each service” refers to all personnel assigned managerial responsibility for the provision, within the facility, of medical, nursing, resident activities, pharmaceutical, social work, dietary or, if specified, rehabilitative (including physical therapy, occupation therapy and speech therapy), dental, or housekeeping (or environmental) services to the veterans home resident. “Providers” means any outside agents who render services within a facility for the veteran’s home resident, either by contract or direct fee services. CODIFICATION
Revised: May 2011 |