Patient ID Bracelets in LTC?

Wow,.I've never worked LTC but I can't imagine not having a way to identify a pt I am responsible for giving meds to. I goes against everything we were taught about passing meds. Do LTC's have to follow JCAHO regulations? How do you have two pt identifiers? I can understand the difficulty in placing arm bands on pt's who live there and may be there for years,..but how do you safely give meds until you've worked there for however long it would take to get to know everyone?

In the last month suddenly everyone has name bracelets. Many of them have removed the bracelets, but the bracelets are at least on their bed rails. We also keep Polaroids in the MAR for patient identification. It does take awhile, especially if you're a nurse who works nights (and you don't see everyone clearly every night!) ... of course the bracelets are on now that we're in our state survey window.

We have pictures in the MAR and in the front of the charts. Most of the residents wouldn't keep a name band on for more than a day.

I've worked in LTC for 20 years and have never worked in a facility in which the residents wear namebands. It is their home! We have photos of each resident in the MAR and pictures of our wanderers in another book. When you work with the residents everyday you know their names, birthday's and diagnosis. You know their families too as well! There is no need for wristbands in LTC!

There is, however, a need to be able to identify each and every resident. Neither the DPH nor the Joint Commission surveyors would accept the answer "I know everyone here."

I worked LTC-I would but the ID band on -next day would find many of them on the desk-how the residents got them of is beyond me. Many times they would just disappear-we never knew what happened to the bands.

Could also cause skin issues.

Also would put bands on the wheelchairs-often questioned this-HIPPA..

Hard to get it right inLTC.

Bottom line is that the facility needs a way to id each resident. What way they choose is probably up to them, but the requirement is still the same.
Most poeple have posted already about the issues of keeping a arm band on or the dignity issue so that is why pics are done. Putting a name tag on a w/c isn't helpfull when the w/c get mixed up. Pics are usefull if they are updated regularly.

It may be their home, but the nurse is obligated to properly ID the patient before medicating or starting a procedure. What if a resident wanders to another room and lies on the bed? In comes the nurse and gives them a medication!

Where I work residents have armbands (although many often take them off) and there are pics in the MAR.

No, it's the gray-haired one with the glasses... NO! The other gray-haired one with the glasses...no.. NO! Not THAT one!