Phasing out alarms?!?

[al586]

At a recent employee meeting, I learned that my facility is going to start phasing out personal alarms for residents. (chair & bed alarms, TEDS, etc.) The powers that be want to head off the new regulations that are being passed in my U.S. state that will prevent the use off alarms as a "dignity issue." I can't IMAGINE the number of patients who will be injured from falls if we don't hear the alert of an alarm, warning us that the resident may be in danger! I feel this action has the potential to cause serious injury to the patients; many are suffering from dementia and are unaware that they cannot rise or walk without assistance. From past experience, all I can see resulting from this is an unending parade of fractures, brain injuries, and more..! I am seriously considering finding employment in another facility that makes patient safety a higher priority.

Is this happening all over the globe, just in the U.S, or only in my state?

[morte, LPN, LVN]

I have learned there is oft reason for the "bad" treatment.....

It is sad. I had a patient who liked to drink a 4oz glass of wine every night. She had dementia and was always confused. The wine really helped her sleep at night. Her son wouldn't approve of us giving her anything to help her sleep so the wine was good to have. About a week before she was going to run out of wine her son (very wealthy man) was called and asked to bring her more wine. Well he didn't know if he would have time and he didn't bring her any for months. He was called multiple times and told how his mother was confused and would often sit up all night, rolling into others rooms and disturbing them at night, she would try to hit the staff when we tried to redirect her. We were finally able to get an order for prn trazodone, but he didn't want it given after 8pm. So if the nurse forgot to give it before 8, then to bad so sad. She was exhausted and always asking for her wine. I could never understand why it was so difficult to bring a bottle of wine to the facility.

[sfkramer]

Is your facility still mostly alarm free? Do you use silent alarms or just no alarms. I am wondering as the Care Center my father is in is going to go alarm free. Since time has passed since you posted this, do you still feel that no alarms is safer for the residents? Because most care centers/nursing homes are short-staffed across the U.S., I am wondering how a "no alarm" system has affected the TIME it takes for staff to help residents once they have fallen? Any help answering these questions would be appreciated! Thank you!

[ltcnurse4u, CNA, LPN]

We have been alarm free for years. I havent missed it one bit. I recently picked up a side job and they still have alarms but they did not prevent any falls. You will get used to it...anticipate what they need...when they fall..and they will fall...find out what were they trying to do? where were they going? 90% of they time..they need to use the bathroom or they are hungry. Joe s gets up every nite at 3am . Why? because he is a farmer and that is what he used to do...so staff gets him up at 230, takes him to the bathroom, offers him a snack. Guess what....no more falls. Alarms do not prevent falls...they let you know someone has fallen. Find out why...what and were...interventions are the key to prevention.