[april34]

Hello

I am an LVN x20 yrs. I have been working in a rehab center contracted with kaiser.
we just got a new administrator who has just notified the nurses that we are responsible for monitoring the doors to the facility.
a patient eloped was found close to the street the wrong nurse was written up and told she would be terminated if he ever found her assigned door unlocked, we have approx.25 residents each we have no sight of the doors he continues to talk about accountability not pt safety also talks about his lic. being in jeopardy what can we do this is crazy there is NO security alarm on the doors and nurses are not allowed out in the back only housekeeping it seems to me that if this was such an important duty you wouldn`t assign it to the busyest (exuse spelling) dept.

any help appriciated

[Blackcat99]

Your administrator is nuts!!! It is his responsibility to make sure the patients are safe by putting security alarms on all doors. I would write him an "anonymous" letter and tell him this. I would also let him know that if he doesn't put security alarms on all the doors immediately that you will be forced to contact the state and have them make an investigation of this dangerous situation. Not having security alarms to protect patients is not acceptable period. Good luck.

[cindyRN 2006]

Dito BLack cat, Could not have said it better myself.

[pickledpepperRN]

If you report a complaint the DHS will not divulge your identity.

I've done it a few times in the last thirty years and they don't even tell if I say it is OK. Here are the local numbers:
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/lnc/org/default.htm

[prmenrs]

I would just go to DHS. Sending an anonymous letter is never a good idea, IMO. Might just get ignored.

[pickledpepperRN]

Originally Posted by prmenrs

I would just go to DHS. Sending an anonymous letter is never a good idea, IMO. Might just get ignored.

They wouls probably do a surface investigation.
I meant to assure that although the DHS know who you are they don't tell the facility.

They need the name and address of the facility, the unit, anddates of events such as an elopement. It is not a HIPAA violation to report with patients names or room numbers to a regulatory agency. I would write down all I knoe and send it with my phone number.

[fiestynurse]

Aren't the Kaiser nurses in California unionized? Why not file a grievance? This makes no sense. Are the doors being unlocked by employees, so they can go out and smoke a cigarette? Why would the supervisor want to terminate LVNs, who are very hard to come by in California, over this issue? Alarms would certainly solve the problem. There has got to be more to this story.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Why are there not alarms? Answer: patient/resident safety is not a priority. I agree w/those saying this should be reported. Nurses dont' have time to be security, too.

[Jessy_RN]

Wow, hope your stress is relieved soon. Best wishes to you.

[jodyangel]

Anyone know how I find the DHS in NJ?