Call light misuse and abuse

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CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN

3,734 Posts

If this is LTC....I feel your pain.

Document EVERYTHING! Careplan EVERYTHING! Psych consult, behavior contract, IDT meeting with resident and family involvement and document the results. Limit setting, rotate staff, involve activites, get the resident out of the room as much as possible, move the room closest to the nurses station, call the ombudsman to get them involved.

Good luck!

guest1048932

78 Posts

On 4/30/2018 at 12:30 PM, NurseC,RN said:

Chart the behaviour thoughougly of behaviors observed, strategies used and pt response. Over time this will help develop a strict behaviour plan between exactly that management, nursing staff and the physician. Include time limits if needed, communication tips and tricks, consequences mentioned to pt if not compliant with staff requests. The more team members you have on board, and comply the easier the behaviors become to manage.

Thank you so much for this answer. We actually found that what was most effective was rewarding her appropriate call bell use, telling family of the misuse, and ignoring her when she yelled inappropriately (after a quick check in her room to be sure she wasn't actually harmed). We also implemented strict 30 minute rounding. It greatly reduced her behavior.

Before I became a nurse, I worked in the ED as a tech. I had this drunk patient pull the code blue button on the wall and faked a tonic-clonic seizure. He did a series of other things that eventually got him escorted of the property after treatment. My employer allows us to file safety reports and I did just that. I wrote a full account of everything I witnessed in that report.  Using the code blue button on purpose for no good reason, like imitating/faking  a tonic-clonic seizure, isn't funny. 

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