Patient ID Bracelets in LTC?

"No, it's the gray-haired one with the glasses... NO! The other gray-haired one with the glasses...no.. NO! Not THAT one! " In the wheelchair, right? LOL! It is scary when you first start at a LTC. Sooo many residents who all fit the same general description. To add to the confusion, and increased potential for med errors, my facility labels the beds "wrong". Bed 1 is by the window, bed 2 by the door. ??? I have been their awhile now, and still get confused over that one. Or maybe it's the other way around? I work nights which just adds to the confusion. In the pics on the MAR's, these people are up and smiling, have their hair done, (or ON), teeth in, glasses on, but at night, they are missing all of the above. People look very different in bed at night than they do up during the day. Fortunately, I know who all of my people are now. At first, I was as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs trying to do 0600 med pass. I have been terror-struck more than once thinking I had given the wrong meds to the wrong res. Even now I label my med cups so that I can check "one more time" to ensure the right person gets the right meds. (I take both res's meds in at the same time). I can't think of a good way to bracelet the residents without compromising privacy or causing skin issues. We do bracelet potential (ambulatory) elopers with a security device, otherwise we put in on their wheelchair. We also check them at least daily to ensure no skin issues emerge. If state came in and asked me how I know that that is the right person, I only really have one way to ID them: The pic in the MAR. We really can't use the name on the door to match to the corresponding bed...I don't think my answer, "I just know" would fly with them. Hmmmm. Food for thought, anyway.

I can remember how it was the first time I worked in LTC and no one had a patient identifier on. It was difficult to know who was who.

Now, after having been in LTC for years, I can't imagine using arm bands. I agree that skin issues would arise. I already have seen this when using the Wander Guard bands around the ankles. I think the best way is with updated pics in the MARS and TARS. This is still difficult for the newcomer because when you are doing routine things, like passing trays in the dining room, or assisting a wandering resident to their room, you don't have the pic right in front of you. But, as people have already mentioned, this is home for these elders. And most facilities are in the middle of culture change and will continue to shy away from using institutional types of identifiers for residents.

I was wondering what is your facilities policy regarding this issue and how do they ID residents?

I worked at an LTC for 2 years as a CNA, and most residents did have armbands. It might be the company (which has most LTCs in the area). I can clearly recall having, in LVN school, to identify residents by armband, photograph in the MAR when passing meds.