Another Five Star Management Decision!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

my manager is out on medical leave, and i got drafted to attend a management meeting for her. what an eye opener! there were a number of five-star management decisions made and communicated, but the one i'm referring to is the new lift policy. nursing staff must assess each patient for fall risk, and those with moderate or high risk for falls must be put on the fall protocol. that means that any patient at risk for falls who is not independent requires nursing help every time they are out of bed. if the patient weighs more than 25 pounds, nursing staff is not to attempt to lift them; we're to use a lift device. attempting to lift a patient who weights more than 25 pounds without a lift device is subject to disciplinary action up to and including losing your job. and here's the kicker -- there are only 5 antiquated lift devices in our 500 bed hospital . . . . and no money in the budget to acquire more.

so you're subject to disciplinary action if you attempt to get a patient weighing more than 25 pounds out of bed without a lift device. but there are no lift devices available nor are there plans to acquire them.

the scary thing is that management professed not to see the issue with that until it was vociferously pointed out to them during the meeting.

policy still goes into effect april 4. how stupid is that?!

[RN1980]

youll get new lift devices as soon as one of your old ones breaksdown or malfunctions with a pt secured in it and starts raising the devil.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

or someone gets a back injury and collects $$$$ from the facility

They could revise the policy to state lift OR extra staff to assist. Using a lift for every patient is time consuming and not even necessary. Another point - get PT to train staff on the proper use of gait belts and how to transfer patients. We did this and it made a big difference. Now all new CNA's are given a gait belt by one of the PTA's and shown how to use them.

[sevensonnets]

When the day comes that all 5 wornout lifts are broken down, call your 5 star management team to help you get patients out of bed. Guarantee you the policy will change in a hurry because they don't want to lay out money for new ones.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

this reminds me of something I read in a book by Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert). Management sent a memo that effective THIS Friday no one would be allowed in the bldg. without a photo ID and badge with scannable barcode. The next paragraph stated that photos and badges would be handed out NEXT week. I guess that means everyone got to take a week off.

[ebear, BSN, RN]

Just another prime example showing how far out of touch management is...

[leslie :-D]

Just another prime example showing how far out of touch management is...

...but as long as it looks good on paper.

leslie

[RNTOBE_1970]

Where I work, we have paid out millions in worker's comp claims for employees that have hurt their back on the job with patient lifts or transfers. I suggested a dedicated lift team, and the idea was shot down. Oh well, pay out your nose for claims.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

:yeah:fun times ahead. Logistical nightmare for the potty!!

Actually, an ICU I did my preceptorship back in school at, had just installed excellent hoyer-type lifts with ceiling track and remote control. AWESOME. Having a patient up in the air flying around like that reminded me of the stork with a baby bundle...

[lindarn]

I have never seen a patient who weighs 25 pounds unless it was in Peds. Most patients are large to extra large, with the average weight of Americans going up by the year.

JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Somewhere in the PACNW

[Old.Timer]

Let the hiding and stashing of lift devices begin ! :)

[Guest717236]

"help, i've fallen and i can't get up!"

oh no, look! one of the 5 star management team has fallen.

get the old, rusty, squeaky, shaky, unstable lift to the site.