Hospice

Good morning amazing colleagues!  My agency is exploring revamping our environmental safety assessment, particularly when it comes to firearms in the home.  Our frontline staff are encountering firearms in patient homes more and more frequently, and we are needing a sensitive and respectful way to address this with patients/families in order to help our staff feel safe and supported, while also respecting patient/family rights.  How does your agency handle this topic?  Thanks so much for your time :)

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Chad Thurman
Circle of Life Hospice
Director of Quality and Compliance
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Hi Chad - Following and also very interested in this important topic. NAHC's Workplace Safety Resource site is a valuable resource. Two tools from it which may be of benefit: 1) The Maryland Emergency Preparedness Network, which has conversation starters, and 2) Appendix B of the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Policy template, which has a home environment assessment. 

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Muriel Davenport, RN
Senior Manager, Performance Improvement
BAYADA Home Health Care
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These are great resources!  Thank you so much :)

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Chad Thurman
Circle of Life HospiceNurse Director of Quality and Compliance
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-17-2025 12:23 PM
From: Muriel Davenport
Subject: Environmental safety assessment/ firearms in the home

Hi Chad - Following and also very interested in this important topic. NAHC's Workplace Safety Resource site is a valuable resource. Two tools from it which may be of benefit: 1) The Maryland Emergency Preparedness Network, which has conversation starters, and 2) Appendix B of the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Policy template, which has a home environment assessment. 

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Muriel Davenport, RN
Senior Manager, Performance Improvement
BAYADA Home Health Care
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