1.  What is our mission and values?

Our mission statement is: Caring, Healing, Teaching and Discovering.

Our values are embodied in the acronym PRIDE:

2.  How do you maintain patient confidentiality?

We protect our patient's right to privacy by maintaining confidentiality in our written, verbal, and computer communications. Some of the measures we take to protect privacy are:

• Speak quietly and discreetly about confidential matters.
• Knock on the door of your patient's room before entering.
• Draw curtains around your patient and close doors during exams, bathing and other procedures. Make sure your patient is adequately covered when leaving the room.
• Exit computer screens and turn terminals away from public view.
• Access only the information about patients for whom you are caring.
• Do not give your password to anyone.
• Properly dispose of documents with patient information.
• Make sure you have the consent of a patient or their designated representative before your release medical information.

3.  What is your role in providing patient care?

Please explain your specific role and how it impacts patient care. Describe: types and ages of patients, types of services, hours of operations, and services after hours (refer to department Scope of Service). Check with your manager for assistance. Some sample answers are:

RNs: I participate as a member of a multidisciplinary team to provide patient care. I ensure that patients are cared for in a safe, therapeutic manner by patient assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

PCAs: I assist the RN with patient care responsibilities such as taking vital signs and helping the patient with activities of daily living. I provide for patient safety by reporting my observations to the RN.

PSAs: I contribute to a safe environment by following proper procedures in room cleaning and patient transportation. I maintain infection control by keeping patient rooms and treatment areas clean.

4.  What is your organization's Performance Improvement (PI) model?

5.  What is better on your unit this year as compared to last year?

Check with your manager regarding unit specific Performance Improvement projects. For inpatient nursing, Pain Management and Discharge Planning are two examples of Medical Center wide performance improvement activities that multidisciplinary staff are involved with. Every nursing division has representatives on the Pain Management and Discharge Planning PI teams. Data from these projects are displayed on unit posters.

6.  How do you prevent the spread of infection in patient care areas?

We prevent the spread of infection by handwashing before and after patient contact and after removing gloves. We also practice standard precautions by using protective barriers such as gloves, gowns, face shields etc. when handling all blood and body fluids. If we have questions about infection control or safety, we would refer to the Infection Control or the Environment of Care manual.

7.  How do you report a safety-related issue?

We are encouraged to bring to the Medical Center's attention any potential health or safety hazard that may exist in their work area. We report any potential hazard to our Patient Care Manager and/or the Medical Center Safety Officer, Robert Hunn at 885-3538. We also can submit a written report using an "Employee Safety Information Form" which could be obtained from the Environment of Care manual. We are not required to put our name on this report.

8.  What steps would you take if there were a fire in your area?

RACE helps us remember what to do in case of a fire.

R	Remove those in danger.
A	Announce: Pull alarm & call 9-911
C	Contain fire. Close doors and windows.
E	Extinguish if safe to do so or Evacuate if instructed to do so.

9.  What are the Medical Center's emergency codes?

10. What is an MSDS? When do you need one and where can you find one?

MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheets. The MSDS is a document prepared by the manufacturer for a product that contains a hazardous material. The MSDS states the manufacturer of the product, hazardous materials in the product, the hazards, and how to protect yourself. Material Safety Data Sheets are found in the Environment of Care Manual or by going on-line at http://manuals.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/. Click on Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), then Environment of Care (EOC). You can find MSDS in the EOC table of contents.