Communication log (com log) pages are where group home support staff and group home managers can communicate with each other. A com log is also a legal document and should be treated as such. Most group homes I’ve worked at have their com log pages set up the same everything is on one page. When I managed, I had my books set up a little differently for my group home support staff.
I had a separate com log page for each resident. The reasons:
- Confidentiality-the residents and guardians have a right to view all communication logs. When all residents who live in a group home, have their information on the same page, other residents confidential information is accessible to anyone reading the com log page.
- Mobility-there are occasions when a group home resident may move to another group home within a company or change service providers and the com log can easily be moved with them. When all residents’ information is on the same page, it makes it difficult because the other residents’ information would need to be blacked out. What I have seen happen is that the com log information doesn’t move with the resident.
- Consistency of care-the more information that group home support staff and managers have, the better they can seamlessly transfer a resident to new living arrangements. Having all com logs available will provide a more accurate history of the resident and care can be more consistent.
- Staff/Resident separation-In the event that the com logs need to be accessed for individual residents’ needs or for legal proceedings, the staff communication (if not needed) will not have to be separated or blacked out. The same is true if only the staff communication is needed.
Each resident com log page would have the resident’s name. For residents that there isn’t much to write, two shifts per page will work. The residents’ com log pages can have the following sections for staff to fill in:
- Staff on shift and shift times
- Summary of shift as it pertains to resident
- Activities
- Chores
- Checklist of paper work done (data sheets, sleep log, elimination chart, med sheets, etc)
- Place for staff to initial that page was read
I would have this in each residents section in the books w/their individual paper work all in one book. I had a separate book for med logs and related information.
My staff had their own book with com log in it. The pages can have the following sections to fill in:
- Staff on shift and shift times
- Summary of shift as it pertains to staff
- Cleaning
- Meals
- Outings
- Appointments
- Staff/manager communication
- House needs
- Place for staff to initial that page was read
- Petty cash/shopping/client funds
Group home support staff might have to flip through a few extra pages to get all paper work done at the end of a shift, but time for that can be included with a slight alteration in time management. The benefit is complete and separate information being available.
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