ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨

Selecting the right assessor depends on the type of organization.

In long-term care, most interRAI assessments are completed by registered clinicians such as nurses and sometimes by occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians and/or social workers. Some organizations have super users whose sole responsibility is to conduct interRAI assessments, while other sites have an interdisciplinary team complete assessments.

In home care, the assessor is usually a registered clinician such as a case manager or care coordinator. These people are typically nurses by background, but assessors can also be occupational therapists, physiotherapists or social workers.

Multidisciplinary responsibility means that nurses complete specific sections of the assessment, and other allied health professionals (e.g., occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians, social workers) may complete others. This approach recognizes the inherent expertise that each team member brings to the assessment. With this approach, 1 person usually takes the lead and assumes overall responsibility for making sure the assessment is completed on time.

• Ability to establish a therapeutic relationship with clients, as well as strong communication skills to work with them
• Strong interpersonal skills to communicate and collaborate with the interdisciplinary team
• Technical skills/computer skills to complete the assessment using the organization’s software
• Receptiveness to change and willingness to take part in the change process (attending training, influencing others, supporting other members of the health care team, supporting initiatives)
• Capacity for informal leadership and/or being a champion for initiatives

In general, people in the role of interRAI assessor can go by different titles that may depend on the sector. Examples include

• RAI coordinator
• RAI assessor
• Case manager
• Community nurse
• Home care nurse
• Nurse educator
• Geriatric emergency management nurse
• Activation nurse