In March I had to move my father to assisted living. He has moderate dementia. Trying to get some respite, I've planned a trip out of the country with my husband. The hospital closest to his AL is just awful. We've been there a couple of times for a nosebleed and a fall. If my dad says he needs to go the hospital this is where he would go. And since the AL is not a SNF there is full-time nurses on staff. My idea is that if I had an RN on call (whether it be day or night most likely night) if he happened to end up in the hospital, she/he could act on my behalf, be his advocate and get him to the VA hospital if needed or deliver care orders back to the AL. Unfortunately, we have no family or friends to rely on for this.
The above is the reason EMT's do not take a patient to a hospital outside of their assigned area. I doubt even an RN would be able to get the EMT's to take your Dad to the VA hospital. You would need to hire a private ambulance.
Tell the AL it must be in his records that he is to be taken to the VA hospital and EMTs must be made aware of this. I am assuming that Dad is signed up with a VA hospital.
Now...If he is in AL why are you helping to the point that you need to hire someone for Respite? Is that not what the staff at the AL is paid to do?
So..you expect the nurse at the AL to call the nurse on call and have the nurse on call meet him at the hospital? This seems rather confusing and time consuming.
I would, if he needs to go to the hospital ask that he be taken to the VA hospital. If he is in their system ALL ER visits need to be cleared with the VA or they may not cover the service. (I should say they need to be notified within I think 24 hours. But if any procedure needs to be done it would be done at the VA hospital so he would be transferred there anyway.)
But to answer your question there are "on Call" medical providers just do a search for what you want in the area you are in.
You could also do a search for Care Managers and that my cover what you need.
Make sure that you have all the documentation that is needed and that the provider has the authority to approve procedures.
That said if you read any of the comments here that people have getting hospitals, medical staff and other people to recognize a POA good luck with getting this done as well.
I have found out about the VA needing to be notified about ER visits and transfers. Given that to the AL and the hospital he has been taken to.
What you want is a subsitute for yourself, right? A daughter/son-sub in. An RN with medical knowledge would be perfect. But how to get this..?
It seems you want a Health Care Proxy - to make health care decisions with/for Dad (if you are unreachable). This person would need the legal authority to act in this capacity.
Have you asked the AL Doctor? Does he/she have a Practice Nurse? Or have any useful ideas? Getiatric Case Manager is a term I have heard but not fully explored yet.
Hiring a RN around the clock would be very expensive. And the Assisted Living facility would need to vet him/her before being allowed into the facility. They don't like having strangers showing up. My Dad had a morning caregiver who would come in to help my Dad in the morning, but before she could step foot into the facility she had to be vetted, even though she worked for an Agency. The facility wanted to make sure of her background, and if she had the required shots (such as Covid shot, etc.)