If you don't want to lose it, then don't bring it to the hospital....

[deespoohbear]

i really want to tell patients and families that if they have something that is very special to them such a piece of jewelry, rosary, or any other item that has monetary and/or sentimental value, leave it at home, for crying out loud!! one of our elderly patients has lost something that has sentimental value to it and now the family and patient are upset with the hospital staff. i try to tell families and patients at admission to take that stuff home or lock it into our hospital safe, not to leave it in the room. i doubt if someone ripped this off. i think the pt laid this item down on the bed on the bedside table and it fell off and got swept away. or it went it got tangled up in the sheets and was sent to laundry...i never saw this item. i just had this patient this weekend and the pt did not have the item at that time....what a mess...i barely have enough time to take care of my patients without having to spend time looking for stuff that shouldn't have been with the patient anyway!

[oramar]

I to spent a lot of time figuring out which relative had the missing valuable. I deeply resented patients and family members who immediately started accusing the staff of stealing rings and watches. Usually the object ended up being with another family member. Once I even asked a family member to please in the future ask his brothers and sisters if they had something before casting accusations at the staff. On the other hand, I have worked with staff members were caught stealing from families and staff so I can see why people jump to conclusions. Once I had a young, with it patient who had just applied her makeup. Left it sitting on overbed stand for few minutes while she went in bathroom. When she came out it was gone. She said to me, "that is gross, stealing used makeup from a person in the hospital of all things". "Why in Gods name would anyone want a lipstick from a person they knew to be sick". I told you she was really with it. I said that I thought some people would just steal anything that was not nailed down.

[MissdonditaBsn]

Indynurse, it is not just your hospital in which the most expensive items get lost. It never fails in our hospital, the poorest patients, who come in with absolutely nothing will end up losing an item worth hundreds of dollars. Even if you check the clothing sheet and notice it's not listed on there the patient will say, "well my family brought it in later". (BTW the missing items are very rarely listed on the clothing sheet, which of course is always our fault ).

I think that patients should sign a waiver that says that any items brought in after admission, not listed by the patient on admission, or that they refuse to have locked up, become their responsibilty and that the hospital will not be help responsible if they come up missing.

I once had a patient claim that she had lost her purse that had hundreds of dollars in it. A Gucci purse at that. I asked her if she was sure that she hadn't sent it home with her family and she started yelling at me because she said I thought she was lying. I tried to explain that I just wanted to make sure her daughter hadn't taken it home while she was in surgery. She refused to call. Well guess what, in the middle of this conversation, her daught called and said that the purse was at home. The patient kept saying "no, not that one, I'm missing my Gucci, that's the one I had" Thank goodness the daughter was honest.

[bagladyrn, RN]

One time when working with geriatric psych. pts. we had a man who kept large amounts of cash - wouldn't give it up. So of course, one day about $300 dollars in small bills ended up missing. After an exhaustive search, it was found in the possession of a female patient who had stored it in the most secure place she could find - and I don't mean her pocket! After the money was removed, of course no one wanted to touch it, so all night long we had money floating in pans of disinfectant all over the nurses station. No worry about anyone stealing that!

[indynurse]

So of course, one day about $300 dollars in small bills ended up missing. After an exhaustive search, it was found in the possession of a female patient who had stored it in the most secure place she could find - and I don't mean her pocket!

What made you look there??

[SmilingBluEyes]

OHHH EWWWW.. (the post above made me think again about where my money has been......yuck)....

....dee, i am with you. i wish there were a way whereby they would have to "declare" all valuables (like at the border somewhat) and either surrender them to the safe or a family

member, and sign off as such. but not possible in so many cases, obviously. I am so sorry for this stress you have... AS IF WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT PERSONAL EFFECTS ON TOP OF EVERYFREAKINGDARNTHINGELSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GRrrrrrrr....

[kaycee]

Years ago I was taking care of a very elderly lady in CCU who was not really with it. Her family claimed she had on a very expensive pair of diamond earrings that were family heirlooms. They accused me and another nurse of stealing them. They went as far as calling the police. We were questioned repeatedly and neither one of us had ever remembered seeing them.

Turns out later on that the family didn't get along and one of them took the earrings thinking the pt. was going to die so the other family member they were fueding with wouldn't get them.

After all the hell they put us through there was never an apology. The real kicker was the hospital administration seemed to believe the family and not us and they never apologized either. Sometimes I just really hate people!!!!!

[Zee_RN, BSN, RN]

We do routinely have patients sign the "Belongings Sheet" that states they have nothing that needs to be locked in the safe and that they are responsible for their items. Of course, they have the option of locking things in the hospital safe which is taken by security and returned by security. We always encourage family members to take things home and have that marked on the belonging sheet too ("daughter took home yellow-colored watch", etc.)

WE ARE SUPPOSED to check for belongings. One of the most infamous neglects, however, was a patient we received in ICU. He had come through the E.D. (they're supposed to check) and then to Med-Surg (they're supposed to check) and then to Telemetry (they're supposed to check) and finally to ICU, over a period of about three days. He had a wheelchair with a backpack. Our aide searched the backpack and found THREE KNIVES AND A LOADED REVOLVER. Yeesh!!! He was also on more psych meds than any patient I have EVER seen. Go figure. The psychiatrist on the case said it was perfectly safe for this patient to be carrying a loaded gun. Yeesh again!!!! (yes, we called security.)

[sjoe]

Well, I guess it's time someone posted something on the OTHER side of this story.

The one time I was hospitalized for 2 weeks, I was told very clearly to NOT bring any cash, checks credit cards, or any valuables with me for my stay.

When it came time to check out, however, the reception desk clerk/cashier insisted that I pay my bill RIGHT THEN, (you guessed it) with cash, a check, or by credit card. Of course, I told her to KMA.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

There should be a disclaimer on everyone's door "The Hospital is Not Responsible For Personal Items Lost or Stolen".

I heard from our risk management department that our hopsital spends tens and thousands of dollars on dentures alone. But I guess we are resonsible when we leave them on trays and throw them down the linen shute.

[bagladyrn, RN]

Originally posted by indynurse

What made you look there??

This woman's history- other items had been found there in the past.