Advance care planning (ACP) is a process that starts with having a conversation and choosing a healthcare proxy or agent, completing a personal directive, or living will, and then sharing those wishes with the appropriate healthcare providers. ACP conversations are most effective when started before a crisis and re-visited periodically, since personal care preferences may change as circumstances change over time. This guide provides a curated list of tools and resources to support patients and providers through the ACP process, and serious illness or end-of-life care conversations.
Category: Resource
Pain Zone Tool
Tool to educate patients on pain management and opioid management. Provides guidance as to what care to seek when they are having various symptoms.
Hand Hygiene Pre and Post Test Assessment
The Hand Hygiene Pre and Post Test Assessment provides a resource to document staff learning for this essential infection prevention activity. The test questions are based on the CDC “Show me the Science” web site. A separate document is provided with answers/explanations for the pre and post test questions.
Link to downloadable Hand Hygiene Pre-Test https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c5X3TLw5afmWUXnsynHZ29gAcvyrUCqG/view?usp=share_link
Link to downloadable Hand Hygiene Post-Test https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QVo3-oR_0jrQNp_Tv805jkBEBrG1nsj8/view?usp=share_link
COVID-19 Vaccine Flyer
Quick reference flyer on COVID-19 Vaccine
Vaccinations for Adults
IPRO developed power point for community providers to offer education to adults on vaccinations.
Health Equity Resource Series
These toolkits highlight four compelling strategies to prioritize health equity. These foundational pillars include:
– Data collection, validation, stratification and application of patient information to address disparate outcomes
– Cultural competency and implicit bias training and education
– Diversity and inclusion in leadership and governance roles
– Sustainable community partnerships focused on improving equity
Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute and Chronic Heart Failure (HF)
Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute and Chronic Heart Failure (HF)
American College of Cardiology, 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
American Heart Association’s “Rise Above Heart Failure”
American Heart Association Go-To-Guide, an easy-to-use, interactive tool designed to empower doctors and nurses to engage heart failure patients.
Resources for Patients
- Self-Check Plan (PDF) — Our printable sheet makes it easy for your patients to track their symptoms. Also available in Spanish.
- Answers By Heart — These downloadable patient information sheets can help your patients understand their condition and needed lifestyle changes.
- HF & Your Ejection Fraction Explained (PDF) — Educate your patients about ejection fraction with this worksheet. Also available in Spanish (PDF).
- Support Network — Connect your patients with peer-to-peer support by recommending our online Support Network.
- Heart Failure Patient Resource Center
- Professional Education
Best Practice Strategies for Organizational Health Equity
This resource outlines strategies and corresponding tasks and resources for each of the seven HEOA categories to assist organizations to address opportunities for improvement based on their HEOA assessment report.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Use When Caring for Patients with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 Competency
This tool is designed to support nurses, social workers, case managers, and others conducting effective discharge planning and care coordination for adults with disabilities who received care or treatment for COVID-19 illness in an acute care setting, are no longer COVID-19 positive, and require continuation or reconnection to supports and services. While not exhaustive, the resources and considerations proposed in this tool comprise promising practices to be addressed when practicable.
Using Disinfectants to Control the COVID-19 Virus
This guidance is for the public and professionals to control the COVID-19 virus on surfaces. The coronavirus named “SARSCoV-2” is the cause of “COVID-19” in people.
Toolkit on State Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence in Nursing Homes
This document is a compilation of actions employed by organizations, including state governments, in the United States and outlying territories to assist nursing homes in meeting the needs of nursing home residents since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic recognized in early 2020. The actions were collected by the contractors of the QIO Program.
CDC National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Long-term Care Facility COVID-19 Module
Guidance for submitting data to NHSN. Goals of the Module are to supplement case reporting and facility capacity to understand facility and resident specific impact and identify resource needs and prioritize public health action.
COVID-19: How to Protect Yourself and Stay Healthy
Infographic guidance for patients/family/care partners for avoiding virus transmission and staying healthy.