Any outlandish therapy, you've thought up?

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Jul 6, 2007

Yes, HIPAA would never allow it, but I would like to place the nurse's desk in the center with private rooms all around it and cameras in each room so that all the confused patients can be visualized and gotten to in a hurry.

I would also like fall mats that come with each bed that can be used to protect the patient from falling out of bed.

Beds that go to the floor for confused patients, but raise up for caregivers.

I'd also like to see all beds with scales on them.

All rooms should have an optional Hoyer lift/bed scale attachment from the ceiling.

We should also have Patient locators for those who insist on going off the unit.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Jul 6, 2007

Dear Angie o'plasty!

I think you're idea of the bed that lowers to the floor would be great for the confused patient who's a big fall risk; only irony is the fall risk that would be heightened to the staff ;-)

I like the illegal hippa measures...fine

Oh, and a couple of weeks ago I gave vicodin and oxycontin to an ambulatory, chest pain r/o MI patient who was later found outside the hospital wandering the streets...could have used the attached patient alarm which would glow red and state: "You're off hospital premisses, return to your room. You've have lost wandering priveledges for a day!"

oldiebutgoodie, RN · Jul 6, 2007

To pass the time while driving to and from nursing school, my carpool-mate and I came up with the idea for a business, "Hospital Hookers, Inc".

Hospital Hookers would provide personnel to provide services to calm down agitated male patients, or to provide a reward for good behavior for noncompliant patients.

Except for the health related issues and the fact that prostitution is illegal, we though it was a great idea!

Oldiebutgoodie

KR · Jul 6, 2007

Yes, HIPAA would never allow it, but I would like to place the nurse's desk in the center with private rooms all around it and cameras in each room so that all the confused patients can be visualized and gotten to in a hurry.
I would also like fall mats that come with each bed that can be used to protect the patient from falling out of bed.
Beds that go to the floor for confused patients, but raise up for caregivers.
I'd also like to see all beds with scales on them.
All rooms should have an optional Hoyer lift/bed scale attachment from the ceiling.
We should also have Patient locators for those who insist on going off the unit.

Just wanted to point out that some of the things you mentioned are possible. I have worked in a 4 bed ICU that had private rooms and cameras in all the rooms so that you could get to a confused patient or whatever in time.

At the same hospital, we had access to fall matts that you mentioned.

Also, we had hi lo beds that went all the way to the floor for confused patients, but that we could raise them up to get to the patient easier, but they were kinda of PITA's because they were slow to raise up.

All of the ICU beds have scales in them, atleast in the 7 ICU's I have worked in over the years.

No luck on patient locators though I really like the idea.

All of these things were available to me at one hospital:)

tvccrn, ASN, RN · Jul 6, 2007

All rooms should have an optional Hoyer lift/bed scale attachment from the ceiling.

We are in the process of remodeling our rooms and they are all going to have the hoyer lift in the ceiling.

tvccrn, ASN, RN · Jul 6, 2007

Also, I didn't think it was outlandish at the time, but I once had a LOL who was a mouth breather while asleep. Her sats would notoriously go into the 70's, so I put the NC pointing into her mouth and they came up nicely into the mid-90's. Well, the next morning when the day shift nurse found her cannula like that she asked me why on earth I would do that. Don't I know that you breath through your nose, not your mouth? I was told tat she grumbled about the "wierd" thing I had done all day long. :lol2:

Inquisitive one · Jul 6, 2007

This is all in jest......

Working in LTC there are those residents who are frequent fallers and self risers constantly setting off their alarms. I always thought that devices similar to johnny jump ups for toddlers would benefit these residents. The jump ups would follow tracks that have been placed in the hall ceilings so these residents could wander about safely without falling. They would also assist in leg strengthening. I think that w/ch's could have built in commode seats with odor controlled 'basins' that could be emptied once a shift. The seat would have built in device for pressure relief. Like I said, all in jest.

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Jul 6, 2007

[mouse]

This is all in jest......
Working in LTC there are those residents who are frequent fallers and self risers constantly setting off their alarms. I always thought that devices similar to johnny jump ups for toddlers would benefit these residents. The jump ups would follow tracks that have been placed in the hall ceilings so these residents could wander about safely without falling. They would also assist in leg strengthening. I think that w/ch's could have built in commode seats with odor controlled 'basins' that could be emptied once a shift. The seat would have built in device for pressure relief. Like I said, all in jest.

[/mouse]

All in jest? Wow, what a superb urgently needed device that would allow freedom of movement sans falls. The commode option would probably be a controversial Hippa issue, however excellent at preventing awful embarrasing accidents from happening. I wonder if a privacy curtain would be in order?

ktwlpn, LPN · Jul 6, 2007

This is all in jest......
Working in LTC there are those residents who are frequent fallers and self risers constantly setting off their alarms. I always thought that devices similar to johnny jump ups for toddlers would benefit these residents. The jump ups would follow tracks that have been placed in the hall ceilings so these residents could wander about safely without falling. They would also assist in leg strengthening. I think that w/ch's could have built in commode seats with odor controlled 'basins' that could be emptied once a shift. The seat would have built in device for pressure relief. Like I said, all in jest.

I LOVE the johnny jump up idea- and it's been invented-I saw something about Christopher Reeve on a television show shortly before he died. He was "walking" in something that looked like that...I would like bubble wrap jumpsuits for the frequent fallers.For the folks that try to stand constantly and have forgotten that they can't I'd like chairs with big soft arms that automatically wrap around the resident when their butt lifts up-I would also have a speaker by their ear with a pre-recorded message like "It's OK-I took care of everything-sit down and we'll have a snack" or whatever...

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Jul 6, 2007

[banana]

Also, I didn't think it was outlandish at the time, but I once had a LOL who was a mouth breather while asleep. Her sats would notoriously go into the 70's, so I put the NC pointing into her mouth and they came up nicely into the mid-90's. Well, the next morning when the day shift nurse found her cannula like that she asked me why on earth I would do that. Don't I know that you breath through your nose, not your mouth? I was told tat she grumbled about the "wierd" thing I had done all day long.

[/banana]

Excuse me, I don't think this is odd, it's what I do for my mouth breathers, though a full mask may be more appropriate. Get this, what do ya think about a mouth adapter for a nasal cannula?! Charge the hospitals what say $12.50 a pop...? Live in lux the rest of your days! LOL

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Jul 6, 2007

Just thought of another outlandish funny idea. Air bags at the bedside installed in the floor that "Kabuusssshhh!" when your crazy decreased LOC pt hits the floor?