Program Policies
Health Scholar Policies
Adventist Health Castle Hospital Isolation Precaution Updates
Castle Hospital Isolation Precaution Policy
April 29, 2021
Scholars are NOT permitted to enter DROPLET or AIRBORNE precaution rooms.
Why the restrictions are in place?
Due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, better known as the Coronavirus, the hospital has started to enact preventative measures to counter any possible spread of the disease.
We strive to ensure the safety and health of our program participants as well as hospital staff and patients. If there are ever any concerns for safety, please reach out to us!
Is this change permanent?
Until further notice, this policy change is mandatory for all scholars. There is no set end date to this policy change. Health Scholars are to avoid entering any isolation precaution rooms until the Leadership team at directs you otherwise.
What patient rooms can I NOT enter?
Outlined below are all the isolation rooms you cannot enter at any time:
Droplet Isolation Rooms
Airborne Isolation Rooms
Any Mixed Droplet/Airborne Isolation Precaution Rooms.
Certain isolation precaution rooms are off limits to the Health Scholar Program.
Leave of Absence Protocol
All Scholars are eligible to request an LOA except:
Incoming Scholars within the first three months of program start date
Scholars who have returned from an LOA within the past 90 days
To apply for an LOA, the Scholar must submit a Leave of Absence request form on CORE at least 2 weeks prior to their intended LOA start date and follow up with their respective DC.
If approved, the Scholar is required to submit their ID badge to the on-site program office prior to leave, not the security office. Scholar will pick up their badge upon return from their leave before their first shift.
An absence from the floor exceeding 110 days requires the scholar to retrain and pass both the written and practical exams with an 80% or higher
An absence exceeding 180 days results in release from the program and the scholar must reapply if they wish to return
Failure to return from LOA after 14 days without communication exceeding the return date will result in dismissal from the program
More information regarding Leave of Absence policy and procedures can be found in the training manual.
Rescheduling
Rescheduling shifts for the NEXT month before the date your DC finalize the calendar, during the CURRENT month will not result in any penalties
Rescheduling shifts for the CURRENT month, during the CURRENT month, will result in either a reschedule or an Excused Missed Shift (EMS)
Rescheduled shifts, notifying your DC >48 Hours prior to the shift, are permitted Three per rotation
Excused Missed Shifts (EMS), notifying your DC <48 Hours prior to the shift, are permitted TWICE per rotation
Unexcused Missed Shifts (UMS) are NOT PERMITTED and are grounds for dismissal from the program.
Uniform
Polo shirt, tucked in at all times
Long khaki pants (covers ankles)
ID badge
White, non-canvas closed-toe shoes in clean, good condition
A black/blue pen
Belt, if needed
*Uniform must be laundered/cleaned between visits to the site in order to maintain the safety and well-being of all patients, staff and visitors.
Transferring Patients
Whenever you are transferring patients to another unit, you must have staff presence with you.
Scholars are NOT permitted to transfer patient between department alone.
Discharging
Confirm with the nurse that the patient is ready to be discharged and that transportation arrangements have been confirmed
Obtain a wheelchair (all patients must be discharged via wheelchair to pick up location)
Identify the patient using two patient identifiers
Make sure that the patient has all of his/her belongings
Check out with the unit secretary and patient's nurse
Carefully wheel the patient to the designated discharge location (ask if it's the roundabout or the discharge lobby)
Never walk the patient to parking structure or leave hospital grounds
Wheel patient backwards into elevators
Wait with the patient until their transportation arrives - never leave a patient alone
Return the wheelchair to the same department it was borrowed from and wipe clean
If the patient falls or displays any medical issues at any point of the discharge process, get help or take them back to the department for assessment
Patient Biohazards
You are not allowed to pick up blood from the Blood Bank or medications from Pharmacy
You are allowed to drop specimens off at the Specimen's Drop-off and medications at Pharmacy
Incident Reporting
Report any injury or incident to the charge nurse on your unit
If Injured: seek treatment at Employee Health or, after hours, at the Emergency Room
Page on- call program manager immediately (i.e. before leaving the site) at:
Common questions asked on incident report:
What was the incident?
When and where did the incident take place?
Which department?
What specific room number, if applicable?
Who was involved in the incident: staff members, patients, scholars, visitors, etc.?
Did the incident result in an injury? If so, to whom?
Open Door Policy
If you ever encounter a situation and need to talk, please stop by the office or seek out one of the options below!
Stop by the office and talk to one of the Leaders or the Program Manager. We are here as a resource for you and will try our best to provide you with what you need!
Email your Department Coordinator or Program Manager
Page the on-call Program Manager
Hospital resources:
Hospital Staff on the unit
Chaplain