Designated Support Person (DSP) Program

• A DSP is an active partner in care and an essential member of the health care team who can provide personalized physical and emotional support, help with decision making, care planning, communication and discharge as deemed important by the patient. DSPs contribute to a positive patient experience and outcome.
• A DSP is an individual the patient wants involved in their care and can include family members, close friends or other caregivers and are identified/designated by the patient or substitute decision maker (SDM).
• A DSP is different from a social visitor. A social visitor is not essential to the patient’s care and does not contribute to care both emotional and physical, providing health information or decision making. A social visitor must visit during Horizon’s social visiting hours. Please see Visitor Guidelines at Hospitals and Health Care Facilities for further information.
• The majority of our hospital and long-term care patient care units allow inpatients to designate as many DSPs as they require, however, the number of DSPs allowed at the patient’s bedside at one time will be limited. Please see Visitor Guidelines at Hospitals and Health Care Facilities for further information. Requests for exceptions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• DSPs must be 18 years of age or older.
• A DSP is not:
  • Required to adhere to the 6-foot physical distancing guidelines when supporting their loved one.
  • Limited to social visiting hours applicable for general/social visits. The hours, frequency and support the DSP will provide to the patient will be determined in collaboration with the patient, the DSP and members of the health care team.
• DSPs are permitted entry to Horizon hospital and long-term care facilities during outbreak situations.
• A DSP is required to complete infection and prevention control (IPC) education to keep patients, health care staff and themselves safe while in the facility.
• After completing the mandatory online education, DSPs must register with Horizon.

DSPs and social visitors are no longer required to show proof of vaccination. Horizon strongly urges all visitors and DSPs to be up to date on their vaccinations. You are up to date if you have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including any booster dose(s) when eligible, in accordance with New Brunswick Public Health’s vaccination schedule for COVID-19. Vaccines have been proven to reduce the incidents of severe illness, hospitalization or death.

All patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities may have a DSP.

Addictions/mental health and community-based services such as detox treatment centres have visitation and family presence practices consistent with their clinical practice. Please contact the service for more details.

To balance the benefit between patient care and the risk of respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19, the number of DSPs who can be present with the patient at one time is limited. Please see Visitor Guidelines at Hospitals and Health Care Facilities for further information.

1. The hospitalized or long-term care patient or their substitute decision maker (SDM) will identify their potential DSPs.

2. If they want to become a DSP for the patient, each person identified will complete online education about Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) guidelines to help keep themselves, their loved one and health care workers safe. (If there are problems completing the online training, DSPs can make an appointment to receive training within the hospital by calling 1-833-625-1653 or emailing DSP-PSD@horizonnb.ca).

NOTE: EACH DSP MUST COMPLETE THE ONLINE EDUCATION

3. Once they have completed the online education, the person will receive an education completion certificate via email. DSPs should retain a copy of their education completion certificate.

4. The DSP will then register by calling 1-833-625-1653, emailing DSP-PSD@horizonnb.ca, or speaking with a member of the patient’s health care team to provide the following information:

– Confirmation they completed the online education

– Their full name and contact number

– The patient’s full name and birth date

– The patient’s location (i.e. the hospital/long-term facility name AND the nursing unit name or number)

– A description of how they would like to support the patient

• Before arriving at the hospital or long-term care facility, DSPs will self screen. DSPs must pass the screening criteria before they can enter. DSPs who do not pass self screening will be asked to identify an alternate DSP and contact the nurse manager. In circumstances where a visit is deemed necessary, and no alternate DSP is available, the DSP should contact the nurse manager to request an exception.
• DSPs must follow IPC and unit-specific rules such as practicing consistent hand hygiene, maintaining distance from other patients, staff, and DSPs/social visitors, and wearing a face mask when required by policy.
• DSPs must limit their movement in the hospital or long-term care facility to the patient’s room and cannot eat or drink in the patient’s room.