Nurse Delegation Services for Adult Family Homes

Adult family homes provide personalized, home-like care for individuals who need assistance with daily living activities. Seattle Nurse Delegation partners with AFH providers throughout the Seattle area to deliver professional nurse delegation services that enable safe medication management while maintaining full compliance with Washington State regulations and DSHS requirements.

Understanding Adult Family Homes and Nurse Delegation

Adult family homes are residential care facilities licensed by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to provide room, board, and varying levels of assistance to two to six residents. These intimate settings offer an alternative to larger institutional care facilities, providing residents with a family-like environment while still receiving necessary support services.

Washington State law (RCW 18.79.260) specifically identifies adult family homes as community-based care settings where nurse delegation is permitted. This recognition allows AFH caregivers, once properly trained and delegated by a registered nurse, to legally administer medications and perform certain nursing tasks that would otherwise require a licensed nurse.

Why Adult Family Homes Need Nurse Delegation Services

Many AFH residents require regular medications to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and mental health conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of long-term care residents take multiple medications daily. Without nurse delegation, each medication administration would require a licensed nurse visit—an impractical and costly arrangement for most AFHs.

Nurse delegation bridges this gap by enabling trained AFH caregivers to safely administer medications under RN oversight. This arrangement provides residents with timely medication administration while keeping care costs manageable for families and facilities.

Comprehensive Services for AFH Providers

Seattle Nurse Delegation offers a complete range of services tailored to the unique needs of adult family homes in the greater Seattle area.

Initial Resident Assessments

When new residents move into your AFH, our registered nurses conduct thorough assessments to establish appropriate delegation plans:

• Review of medical history, diagnoses, and current physician orders
• Comprehensive medication regimen analysis
• Evaluation of resident's cognitive and physical status
• Assessment of care needs and delegation appropriateness
• Development of individualized care protocols
• Informed consent documentation

Medication Administration Delegation

Our core service enables your caregivers to safely administer resident medications:

• Oral medications (pills, capsules, liquids)
• Topical medications (creams, ointments, patches)
• Eye, ear, and nasal medications
• Inhaled medications (inhalers, nebulizers)
• Rectal and vaginal medications
• Medication documentation and record-keeping

Insulin Injection Delegation

For residents with diabetes requiring insulin, we provide specialized delegation services including comprehensive diabetes education, blood glucose monitoring training, and insulin injection technique. Learn more about our insulin delegation services.

Caregiver Training and Competency Verification

Your caregivers receive thorough, patient-specific training from our RN delegators:

• Verification of core delegation training completion
• Resident-specific medication training
• Proper administration techniques for each medication type
• Side effect recognition and reporting procedures
• Documentation requirements and best practices
• Emergency protocols and when to seek help
• Competency verification through observed medication passes

DSHS Compliance and Documentation Support

Maintaining proper documentation is essential for regulatory compliance and survey readiness. The Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission sets standards for delegation documentation, and our services ensure you meet all requirements.

Documentation We Provide

• Complete delegation authorization forms
• Resident assessment summaries
• Caregiver competency verification records
• Written delegation protocols for each resident
• Medication administration instructions
• Informed consent documentation
• Reassessment and follow-up notes

Survey Preparation Support

We help your AFH prepare for DSHS surveys by ensuring:

• All delegation paperwork is current and organized
• Caregiver training records are complete and accessible
• Medication administration records are accurate
• Protocols match current physician orders
• Reassessments are completed on schedule

Ongoing Oversight and Reassessments

Nurse delegation is not a one-time event—it requires ongoing RN involvement to ensure continued safety and compliance. WAC 246-840-930 mandates regular reassessments, and our services include:

Scheduled Reassessments

• Quarterly reassessments (every 90 days) as required by WAC
• Resident condition and medication regimen review
• Caregiver competency re-evaluation
• Protocol updates as needed
• Documentation updates and organization

As-Needed Visits

We're available for additional visits when circumstances change:

• New resident admissions
• Significant changes in resident condition
• Medication changes or new prescriptions
• New caregiver orientation and training
• Concerns about care quality or caregiver performance
• Pre-survey preparation assistance

Phone Support

Our RN delegators remain available by phone for questions and concerns between scheduled visits. This ongoing support helps you address issues promptly and maintain care quality.

Benefits of Partnering with Seattle Nurse Delegation

AFH providers who work with us experience numerous benefits that improve their operations and resident care:

• Regulatory Compliance: Stay current with WAC requirements and DSHS expectations
• Survey Readiness: Maintain organized documentation that demonstrates compliance
• Quality Care: Ensure residents receive medications safely and on time
• Staff Confidence: Caregivers feel competent and supported in medication administration
• Peace of Mind: Know that a professional RN is overseeing medication management
• Time Savings: Focus on caregiving while we handle delegation requirements