Alarms

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Does anyone know of a toilet seat alarm that sounds when the resident sits DOWN? I've been searching but so far all I've seen are alarms that sound when the resident stands up.

Thanks in advance.

(another thing I should invent?)

I'm not aware of such a device though it would be easy enough to build one.

You could also place a pressure mat in front of the toilet to detect someone on final approach.

Likewise, you could put an alarm switch on the door of the WC... or, if you're really trippin on the thing, light curtains to create an alarm zone surrounding the commode.

What problem would such a device be attempting to solve?

[ktwlpn, LPN]

To alert staff to residents who repeatedly attempt to toilet themselves and are unsafe(who fail toileting programs over and over) It's GENIUS! Would only work in private or semi private bathrooms,we have very few of them.Darn it.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

My resident sits on the toilet for hours. We've tried a schedule, behavior mod, motion detectors....he can walk and transfer himself on and off the toilet. He sits so long, however, he falls asleep on the "throne" and falls off.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

O,my- can I ask what is he doing? Masturbating? Dis-impacting himself? Reading the Wall Street Journal?We have had two men and 1 woman with that issue. The gal was just very bowel focused and had to move at the same time every day or she was going to pull it out herself. Both of the men had OCD,one of them masturbated in there for hours. The other guy seemed to just like to be alone. We had to pad the back of the john because he started to get areas of breakdown from leaning on it but none of them ever actually fell asleep and fell off.

Ritalin? Just kidding. We have new low profile floor matts, maybe they would help keep him from sustaining injury. Maybe staff could put an overbed table with a pillow or a towel on it in front of him when he goes, might prevent him from tipping over,he could lean on it and move it himself so it would not be a restraint.If he would leave it there.Maybe if you put the paper and a cup of coffee on it he would.Got to love these challenges ....

The other guy seemed to just like to be alone.

That would be me. I love being alone and if I lived communally, I'd probably spend hours on the pot just for privacy.

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

My resident sits on the toilet for hours. We've tried a schedule, behavior mod, motion detectors....he can walk and transfer himself on and off the toilet. He sits so long, however, he falls asleep on the "throne" and falls off.

Not following your thought process...how will it help to have an alarm when he sits down? Maybe just to alert staff he is back in the bathroom? Wouldn't a motion detector at the bathroom door accomplish the same?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

He can disable the motion detector. He knows the door is alarmed so now he goes out into the hall bathroom. He is the most stubborn resident I have.

He can disable the motion detector. He knows the door is alarmed so now he goes out into the hall bathroom. He is the most stubborn resident I have.

His behavior seems to clearly communicate that he has some needs that aren't being addressed.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

We're checking a PSA and started him on Flomax. Again, this is NOT new behavior....years of doing this at home before he was admitted and he's not looking for alone time because he has a private room.