2019 U.S. Virgin Islands Code
Title 19 - Health
Part II - Hospitals and Nursing Schools
Chapter 16 - v.i. Government Hospitals and Health Facilities Corporation
Subchapter II - Virgin Islands Caregiver Advice, Record and Enabling Act
§ 256. Instruction to designated caregiver
(a) As soon as practicable, but not later than 24 hours before a patient’s discharge from a hospital, the hospital shall consult with the caregiver and the patient regarding the caregiver’s capabilities and limitations and issue a discharge plan that describes a patient’s after-care needs at the patient’s residence.
(b) At minimum, the discharge plan must include:
(1) The name and contact information of the caregiver;
(2) A description of all after-care tasks necessary to maintain the patient’s ability to reside at home, taking into account the capabilities and limitations of the caregiver; and
(3) Contact information for any health care, community resources, and long-term support services necessary to successfully carry out the patient’s discharge plan.
(c) The hospital’s discharge plan must provide caregivers with instruction in all after-care tasks described in the discharge plan. At minimum, the instruction must include:
(1) A live demonstration of the tasks performed by a hospital employee or individual with whom the hospital has a contractual relationship authorized to perform the after-care task, provided in a culturally competent manner and in accordance with the hospital’s requirements to provide language access services under Virgin Islands or federal law;
(2) An opportunity for the caregiver and patient to ask questions about the after-care tasks; and
(3) Answers to the caregiver’s and patient’s questions provided in a culturally competent manner and in accordance with the hospital’s requirements to provide language access services pursuant to territorial and federal law.
(d) Any instruction required to be provided must be documented in the patient’s medical record, including, at minimum, the date, time, and contents of the instruction.
