Admission personal belongings

[punkdmm, BSN, RN]

At our LTC facility, we have a form to be completed by the STNA's upon admission accounting for personal belongings brought into the building. We are considering doing away with the former as it rarely gets completed nor has it been referred back to in the 15 years I've been there. Some nurses are saying we are required to keep this record,but we do not add to the form when new items are brought in and so I don't see the point in keeping the inaccurate account of their belongings. Anyone know of a mandate that says we must keep this record?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

So if a patient says they had an iPad when they were admitted and now it's missing and want your facility to pay for a new one, how will you prove they didn't bring one in? It's a PIA but necessary

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Its been years since I really looked at the regs, but could it follow under protecting personal property?

I have to agree with Capecod...PITA but the inventory sheet is necessary. I always make sure we try to complete them within the shift or next day or so. Clothing always goes missing but things like glasses, teeth, walkers, electronics....at least the family has proof. I only have one family that actually updates it or lets us know when they change items on the inventory.

[amoLucia]

I believe that in the admission agreement paperwork that is given to family, there is something about marking personal effects and having them signed in on that 'Personal Belongings Inventory'. Families usually DO sign it, yet more often than not, they don't follow the rule.

However ......... I have been at places when the State came in to investigate family complaints that "Mom's red afghan is missing" and PopPop's grey sweater is gone". When the State asked if the items were marked and logged in (per the agreement that they signed), the answer was NO. And I have had to produce that sign-in inventory. So the State could not validate the complaints because of family non-compliance. The facility was not to blame if the family chose to NOT follow the rule.

It does protect the facility if properly used. Maybe the criteria has to be amended to reflect items of value instead of doing all the fluff for 6 pairs white socks and 6 t-shirts. Like for a nice table clock ... or that iPad.

The facility is supposed to provide a reasonably safe environment for residents' personal effects.

[punkdmm, BSN, RN]

Thank you all! I will look at updating our form/policy to relate to items of value...and enforce staff completion of these forms

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

We are pretty careful about checking off any valuables brought in either during or after admission like electronics and jewelry. We also suggest that any irreplaceable jewelry like a family heirloom goes home with family. Large amounts of cash are also either sent home with family or logged into a residents account. Clothes are accounted for on the admission form, but honestly I don't remember ever pulling the inventory sheet out of the chart and updating it when new clothes are brought in.

[Adele_Michal7, ASN, RN]

In our facility money has been a hot topic, so if a patient comes in with money, we declare it during charting/endorsement and ff-up w SS as needed in regards to safekeeping vs patient keeping track of it