Click to view a sample competency exam which may be modified for use in your hospital.
Protocols and Competency Exam
Healthcare technology and the requirements for educating your nursing staff are rapidly changing. The Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals, written by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), requires hospitals and nursing leaders to “assess, maintain, demonstrate, and improve continually” the competency of their staff. The Joint Commission recognizes the fact that a “qualified and competent staff” is required to fulfill the hospital’s mission and to meet the needs of their patient population. One of the standards (HR. 4.2) written by JCAHO states the need for “ongoing in-service and other education and training to maintain and improve staff competence”. In the section on the Intent of HR.3, the manual explains that “the hospital can assess competence in many ways…the hospital uses a combination of ongoing competence assessment and educational activities to maintain staff competence and an objective, measurable system is used periodically to evaluate job performance, current competencies, and skills”.
At MorTan we recognize this need and have developed a Training Tool, a Competency Assessment, and a Sample Policy that can assist in meeting the requirements. The Competency Assessment and Sample Policy can easily be adapted to comply with your institutional formats. Our goal is to work with you to ensure the safe and appropriate use of the Morgan Lens while maximizing positive patient outcomes.
The educational materials provided here were developed with the assistance of MorTan’s nurse consultant Dawn P. Schoenfeld RN, BS, CEN.
The Morgan Lens Competency Assessment
The Morgan Lens Sample Policy/Protocol
Clicking this link takes you to an example of a protocol that you may modify for use in your Emergency Department, and some suggestions for developing your own.
Samples of Current On-line Protocols
Click to view on-line protocols and Morgan Lens references currently used by hospitals and EMS organizations.
While beginning to wear contact lenses, I had an experience which the use of the Morgan Lens saved the day.
I was just finishing a sixteen-hour shift as manager and staff nurse of the ED when I was notified that they had received a bomb threat. Disaster situation were part of my duties, so I went into action. By 4:00 AM, I realized I still had my contacts in. So I got a container and soaked them in an eye solution from our eye tray. I arrived home with enough time to take a quick nap before returning to work for another sixteen-hour shift. When I put my contacts in, I felt like someone had placed a hot poker into my eyes. I took the contacts out, but my eyes continued to burn and were also fire engine red. I did report to work at 7:00 AM but my eyes continued to burn. I then decided the best thing I could do was to irrigate, so I placed a Morgan lens into both eyes and irrigated with 1000 cc of lactated Ringer's. Laying down during the irrigation process was relaxing and I felt no discomfort while my eyes were irrigated. After the process, the burning was relieved and I was able to complete my shift without further discomfort.
Registered Nurse (South Carolina)
MorTan Inc.
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 8719
Missoula, MT 59807
U.S.A.
Shipping Address:
329 East Pine St
Missoula, MT 59802
U.S.A.
Toll-Free Telephone: 1-800-423-8659
Telephone: 406-728-2522
Fax: 406-728-9332
Email: mortan@morganlens.com
Hours
Monday - Thursday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM MT
Friday
8:00 - 1:00 PM MT