Employee Handbook and Policies

Stability Healthcare Clinical Dept I 2301 E. 7th St. Los Angeles A215, CA 90023 I 855-742-4767 I [email protected]

Employee Handbook and Policies

Please review Stability’s Handbook and Policies document and sign and the bottom of this page. You are

encouraged to keep the Handbook and Policies for your record.

Welcome Letter, Employment Policies, Employment Status & Records, Payroll

☒ End of Life Care

☒ Drugs in the Workplace

☒ Prevention of Medication Errors

☒ Do Not Use Abbreviations

☒ Employment Documentation Policy

☒ Worker’s Compensation & FMLA

☒ Health Insurance

☒ Job Description and Code of Conduct

☒ Joint Commission Policy Statement

I acknowledge that I have received a copy of the Employee Handbook, which contains important

information on Stability HealthCare’s general personnel policies and on my privileges, benefits and

obligations as an employee. I understand that I am responsible for familiarizing myself and complying

with its contents. I further understand that Stability HealthCare may from time to time change, rescind

or add to any policies, benefits or practices described in the Handbook, other than the employment “at-

will” policy, at its sole and absolute discretion. I understand and agree that my employment is “at-will”

and may be terminated by either party, with or without cause, at any time. I understand that I will

remain an “at-will” employee, regardless of the length of my employment or the granting of benefits of

any kind.

Employee's Printed Name: ____________________________ Position: _____________________

Employee's Signature: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

Lori Black Registered Nurse

10/12/2021

Document Ref: KKOQF-UHPAC-FLV97-VCFZG Page 1 of 8


Welcome Letter

Welcome to Stability HealthCare. We are pleased to have you as an employee of our company and hope

that you find your association with us to be an enriching and engaging work experience.

Throughout the years, we have worked hard to cultivate a positive and open working environment.

Integrity is one of the foundations of our Company. Our commitment to honesty above all other

business goals pervades Stability HealthCare. Our philosophy is that every member of the team is

important. The synergy created by combining the efforts of all employees is what sets this Company

apart from others. Although we take our work here seriously, we also like to enjoy ourselves and realize

there are things that periodically occur which will take precedence over work. However, when we are

here we expect employees to give 100% to their job. Hard work, motivation and positive attitudes are

the basis of our success. Welcome to the Stability HealthCare team—we look forward to working with

you!

You will want to know what you can expect from Stability HealthCare and what will be expected from

you. You may have questions about your job duties, the benefits offered with your position, and the

general operation of the Company. We have prepared this handbook to assist you in finding the answers

to these and other questions you may have. It is designed to enable you to become better acquainted

with the Company and the policies that affect your employment environment. This handbook is for your

personal retention. Please read it carefully and keep it easily accessible for reference.

We invite you to share with us your questions and thoughts about work life at our company. Please feel

free to call upon any member of our team to assist you in any matter that concerns you and your job at

Stability HealthCare.

Sincerely,

Jason Casani

Jason Casani

President



Employment Policies, Records and Payroll

Stability HealthCare provides equal opportunity to all applicants on the basis of demonstrated ability,

experience, training, and potential. Qualified persons are selected without prejudice or discrimination as

stated in the company’s Equal Opportunity policies. Pre-employment tests that are demonstrated to be

job-relevant and valid according to accepted professional practices may be used. All interviewed

applicants will be asked to complete an Age Related Competency exam, Universal Precautions exam,

and a Clinical Competency exam, based on area of clinically expertise. Once the candidate has accepted

the employment offer, she or he will be required to provide documentation of identity and employment

eligibility in accordance with federal law.

Stability HealthCare is an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to select the best-qualified person

for each position in the organization. No employee of the company will discriminate against an applicant

for employment or a fellow employee because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin,

ancestry, age, or other physical or mental disability. No employee of the company will discriminate

against any applicant or fellow employee because of the person’s veteran status.

As a condition of employment, applicants offered clinical positions and current employees transferring

into clinical positions are required to sign release of information forms authorizing Stability HealthCare

to make a thorough background check. This information is necessary to determine that the applicant or

employee has the required skills or competencies, has a history of safe driving and/or has no relevant

criminal history or offenses that may jeopardize the safety or welfare of the company's operations,

employees, or customers.

The following mandatory deductions will be made from every employee’s gross wages: Federal income

tax, Social Security PICA tax and any applicable city and state taxes. Every employee must fill out and

sign a federal withholding allowance certificate, IRS Form W-4, on or before his or her first day on the

job. This form must be completed in accordance with federal regulations. The employee may fill out a

new W-4 at any time when his or her circumstances change. Employees who paid no federal income tax

for the preceding year and who expect to pay no income tax for the current year may fill out an

Exemption from Withholding Certificate, IRS Form W-4E.

Employees are expected to comply with the instructions on Form W-4. Questions regarding the

propriety of claimed deductions may be referred to the IRS in certain circumstances. Other optional

deductions include the portion of group health insurance not paid by the company, which is deducted

from each payroll check. Other voluntary contributions, such as credit union and pension plan, are also

deducted each pay period. Every employee will receive an annual Wage and Tax Statement, IRS Form W-

2, for the preceding year on or before January 31. Any employee, who believes that his or her

deductions are incorrect for any pay period, or on his or her W-2, should check with Stability HealthCare

immediately. Employees are responsible for reporting their own time and sending in a Stability time

sheet each week unless directed otherwise. Stability pays employees every week and abides by the

hospital pay period in addition to state laws regarding overtime. Holidays are defined but not limited to

New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.



End of Life Care

Dying is an individualized and personal experience, one that cannot be avoided. Due to the fact that

clinicians are on the front line when it comes to death/dying, it is important to demonstrate competency

and compassionate care during this phase at the end of life. Patient preferences are important and

bedside caregivers are to be advocates for patient rights and choices during this time. The clinician

should approach death/dying as a Physiological, Psychosocial, and Spiritual event. The following should

be integrated into the patient’s plan of care: assess and identify concerns, promote an interdisciplinary

approach, honor and respect patient/family wishes, address the family as a unit of care. A few things to

keep in mind when communicating with patients and the family are: information provided should be in

simple and easy-to-understand terms, to convey caring, sensitive, and compassionate care and maintain

a presence during this time, which is essential.

There are nursing interventions for end of life care which include: promote a collaborative

interdisciplinary approach, provide support, provide education, promote physical comfort, promote role

model comforting and respect cultural values and wishes. When caring for a terminal patient you should

anticipate pain needs and provide relief before the pain becomes more severe, remember that larger

doses of analgesia may be needed due to tolerance to the drug and the progressive disease state, assess

the patient frequently for pain management needs, discuss the pain management plan with the patient

and family and assure the family that everything possible is being done to keep that patient

comfortable. Remember that the objective of palliative care is to control pain and keep the patient

comfortable. Educating the family is a vital component to providing end of life care. By providing

education to the family, the clinician can provide comfort during this difficult time.

To help comfort during the final hours you can avoid suctioning, keep lips and mouth moist to help

control thirst, change patient’s position frequently as desired and provide education and support to the

family. The death/dying experience is a time when people reflect on their life. This is also a time when

the clinician can act as a liaison by listening to their patient and respecting their wishes. The clinician can

ensure that spiritual care is administered by facilitating the involvement of the patient’s pastor or

preferred spiritual counselor. The death/dying experience is a time when people reflect on their life.

This is also a time when the clinician can act as a liaison by listening to their patient and respecting their

wishes. The clinician can ensure that spiritual care is administered by facilitating the involvement of the

patient’s pastor or preferred spiritual counselor.

Since health care providers are frequently exposed to death/dying, especially in hospice settings, it is

important to establish a mechanism by which Peer Support is addressed and encouraged. Some of the

ways that this can be accomplished are to provide support to fellow staff members, help to organize

rituals/memorials for patients and model self-care strategies.



Drugs in the Workplace

Stability Healthcare’s policy is that all employees are required to work completely free of any illegal

drugs and/or from the effects of alcohol. While working, employees are prohibited from purchasing,

using, transferring or possessing drugs, either illegal or prescription in addition to using alcohol. At

Stability drug testing is a requirement for each travel assignment for our employees. All employees must

consent to a drug test prior to employment and may be tested at any time during their assignment with

Stability Healthcare. If an employee tests positive for drugs prior to employment he/she will have to

wait a minimum of 12 months until they are eligible to apply with Stability Healthcare again. If an

employee tests positive for drugs or alcohol while on assignment, or refuses to take a drug test he or she

could face immediate termination.

There are a number of different types of drugs that this covers including barbiturates, benzodiazepines,

amphetamines, cocaine, MDMA, opioids, marijuana and heroin. Potential dangers of being under the

influence include medication and treatment errors, loss of productively and safety risks. A drug free

work place starts with you and we encourage our employees to seek help if you think you may have a

problem or report a colleague if you think he or she has an issue with drugs or alcohol.

Prevention of Medication Errors

Medication errors affect nurses, physicians, pharmacists, administrators, drug and medical device

manufacturers, and patients and family members. All are caught up in the suffering associated with

these mistakes. When errors happen, providers react in similar ways, experiencing guilt, worry, and loss

of clinical confidence. Medication errors can happen for a number of reasons including but not limited

to: human knowledge, chaotic work environment, verbal orders, poor handwriting, similar drug names,

coined names, similar packaging, math errors, lack of dosage check, wrong diluent, wrong drug/IV and

wrong label directions. Nurses should structure their work environment to reduce the probability of

error. Nurses themselves should find places where distractions can be minimized when checking

transcribed orders or preparing medications before administration. They also need to learn to focus on

the medication tasks at hand and avoid being rushed, no matter how challenging the situation. Nurses

can help each other by offering support to colleagues when they are involved in similar activities.

Nurses acknowledge their responsibility in error prevention, yet they are often disinclined to report

errors unless a potent medication is involved. They may not be aware of the number of errors in which

they have been involved, because other health care professionals may not notify them of mistakes.

Blame and punishment must end so that error reports increase. The number of incident reports

represents only a portion of adverse events and medication errors. When systems rather than

individuals are held accountable, more errors may be reported and prevented. Early reporting

contributes to a better investigation and defense and leads to a greater chance of success in handling

claims. Administrators should encourage nurses to report errors, near-misses, and adverse drug events

because accurate reporting creates a greater opportunity to prevent future occurrences. As the

employees chiefly responsible for administering drugs, nurses can take the lead in developing error

prevention strategies.



Do Not Use Abbreviations

A “minimum list” of dangerous abbreviations, acronyms and symbols has been approved by The Joint

Commission. Medication orders are subject to the initiative, but so is all clinical documentation,

including orders, progress notes, consultation reports, and operative reports, as well as educational

materials and protocols/pathways. The Joint Commission will check to see that any terms on the “list of

dangerous abbreviations are not found in handwritten clinical documentation. Organizations found not

to be in compliance will be required to submit a plan for continued improvement. (Source:

JointCommisssion.org)

OFFICIAL DO NOT USE LIST U (unit) – Mistaken for 0 or 4, write unit instead

IU (international unit) – Mistaken for IV or 10, write international unit instead

Q.D, qd, QOD, Q.D>, q.o.d (daily) – mistaken for each other, O mistaken for I or 0, write X mg or 0.X mg

Trailing zero (X.O) and lack of leading zero (.Xmg) – Mistaken decimal point missed, write X mg or 0.X mg

MS, MSO4 and MgSO4 – can mean morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate, write morphine sulfate or

magnesium sulfate

> Or < - misinterpreted at 7 or L, write greater than or less than

Abbreviations for drug name – misinterpreted for similar drug, write drug names in full

Apothecary units – unfamiliar to many, use metric units instead

@ - mistaken for 2, write at

Cc – mistaken for U, write ml or milliliters

Qg – mistaken for mg, write mcg or micrograms

Employment Documentation Policy

It is the responsibility of each member of Stability HealthCare’s Clinical staff to keep their employment

documentation current and in good standing. Annual Documentation includes but is not limited to:

Professional License, Certifications, Physical Exams or Medical Release, TB test and/or Chest X-Ray, TB

Questionnaire, Drug Test, Annual Exams and Competencies, Annual Policy and Release Forms, Tax

Forms.

Stability HealthCare is required to keep our clinical employee documentation current under our

contracts and to be HIPAA and JCAHO Compliant. We can be audited and/or receive a request to show

immediate proof of documentation on any employee. If SHC contacts and request updated

documentation, employees MUST provide requested documentation within 24 hours.



Workers' Compensation Insurance

Stability HealthCare insures all employees against accidental injuries occurring on the job, in accordance

with the California Workers’ Compensation Law. Coverage begins on date of employment and covers

any injury or illness sustained in the course of employment that requires medical, surgical, or hospital

treatment. Employees must report all accidents immediately to their supervisor or department

manager, and the supervisor/manager must notify the Office of Human Resources within 24 hours. If the

supervisor or department manager is not available the employee should notify the Office of Human

Resources. No matter how minor an on-the-job injury may appear, it is important that it is reported

immediately. This procedure will enable an eligible employee to qualify for coverage, in a timely

manner.

FMLA/CFRA (Family and Medical Leave Act/California Family Rights Act)

Stability HealthCare provides Family and Medical Leave of absence, unpaid, to eligible employees who

wish to take time off from work duties to fulfill family obligations relating directly to childbirth,

adoption, or placement of a foster child; or to care for a child, spouse, or parent with a serious health

condition, or if the employee’s own serious health condition renders him/herself unable to work. A

“serious health condition” is specifically defined by the laws regarding Family and Medical Leave, and

generally means an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient

care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility; or continuing treatment by a health care

provider. See Human Resources for a more specific definition of “serious health condition” and related

terms.

Health Insurance Stability

HealthCare provides health insurance to employees with access to medical, dental, prescription, and

vision care insurance benefits. To be eligible for Health Insurance, the employee must be full time and in

active pay status. Eligible employees may participate in the health insurance plan subject to all terms

and conditions of the agreement between the company and the health insurance company. Coverage

begins on the first of the month following the date of hire.

Stability HealthCare will contribute up to $250 per Month to the employee’s insurance premium. If the

plan selected by the employee exceeds the company contribution, the difference will be deducted from

the employee’s wages or salary. A change in employment classification that would result in loss of

eligibility to participate in the health insurance plan may qualify an employee for benefits continuation

under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Since health insurance is a very

complex employee benefit, employees should consult the plan summary document given to all eligible

employees.



Job Description & Code of Conduct

Stability employees are to abide by the laws in accordance with local, state and federal guidelines that

govern the facility where the employee is working. In addition, Stability employees should represent

themselves and the company to the absolute best of their ability. We require our employees to have at

least one year of current experience in the field for which they are applying, at least two current

references from supervisors, current licensing for the state in which they desire to work, current

required certifications for the field they desire to work in and any other documentation that may be

required for a specific hospital or facility. In addition to these requirements we will also run background

checks on our employees.

Our employees will follow specific facilities policies and procedures while on contract. They will conduct

themselves in a professional manner while at work and abide by HIPPA protocol at all times. Stability

employees will use sound judgment, report or document incidents that may occur, abide by each

facilities documentation policy and will present and punctual for each scheduled shift. If there is a

reason to report and incident or complaint our employees will follow the facilities protocol and alert the

necessary parties. The employees will be respectful to staff, will as a patient advocate and provide

patient care in a non-discriminatory manner.

Joint Commission Policy Statement

Stability Healthcare is committed to providing a higher standard of service and to the delivery of safe, quality patient care. Stability Healthcare complies with the Joint Commission’s Standards for Healthcare Staffing Services. As our employee, you can have confidence that the processes within Stability Healthcare have met the requirements established by the Joint Commission. To assure compliance with the Joint Commission Standards for Healthcare Staffing Services, Stability Healthcare provides the customer a written description of the following services.

Any individual or organization that has a concern about the quality and safety of patient care delivered or witnessed by an employee while on assignment, is encouraged to contact the Joint Commission at www.jointcomission.org or by calling the Office of Quality Monitoring at 630.792.5636. Stability Healthcare demonstrates this commitment by taking no retaliatory or disciplinary action against employees when they do report safety or quality of care concerns to the Joint Commission.


Signature CertificateDocument Ref.: KKOQF-UHPAC-FLV97-VCFZG

Document signed by:

Lori BlackVerified E-mail:[email protected]

IP: 73.118.75.244 Date: 12 Oct 2021 22:23:52 UTC

Document completed by all parties on:12 Oct 2021 22:23:52 UTC

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Employee Handbook and Policies