Hi there I'm a student nurse and I have an assignment due in two days, basically the question is what do you do if you (a district nurse) cannot gain entry to a recently discharged patients house who has just had a hip replacement and is a known diabetic......

I cannot find any information anywhere so any help would be great.

Thank-you

LMSN

OOh, just up my street this one, let's see.......

Well, first you should establish that the patient should indeed be at home....check with next of kin or a neighbour that the patient hasn't gone to a hospital appointment or something similar, maybe even gone to stay with relatives to recuperate. If you can't contact next of kin and the neighbours can't help, you would contact GP surgery to ask if the patient has been re-admitted to hospital, or if they have any info at all. If the GP can't help, you could then contact hospital admissions to see if the patient has been re-admitted. You might also telephone the patient (even if you are standing at their front door) just in case they are having difficulty getting to the door because of mobility problems. Also, you would look through the windows to see if you can see anything unusual. If all this fails and you have serious concerns about the safety of the patient, you would inform your line manager and most likely ask for police assistance in gaining access.

What they're probably looking for here in your answer is that you would never walk away and just presume the patient is not at home.

Remember though.....if you DO ask anyone other than a relative or health care provider for information, you must always maintain the patient's confidentiality and only disclose information on a "need to know" basis.

Hope this helps.......it's not from a text book or anything......it's just what I would do in that situation.

hi,

i agree with the previous response. but if after all that and the patient just did not want you to enter their home or see you then as long as you have done everything in your power to make sure they are ok then there is nothing more you can do. in community nursing you have to remember that the patient does not have to let you in and they are within their rights to refuse treatment and they could even call the police and have you removed from their property (extreme but can happen).

welcome to the legal/moral minefield of community nursing. i hope you enjoy your time there, i did.

You raise a very valid point Debbie. I was reading into the question from the point of view that the nurse was unable to gain entry rather than being refused entry. Perhaps the OP could introduce this into her assignment to demonstrate an understanding of the differing situations :)

Tina

that would bump up her mark no doubt :)

also a very good book on the legal/ethical aspects of nursing is BRIDGETTE DIMMOND, LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS OF NURSING i found it well worth the money!!!

i have just had my final results and i have got a 2:1 degree with Honours in adult nursing WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

debbie

i have just had my final results and i have got a 2:1 degree with honours in adult nursing woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

debbie

congratulations debbie! well done you!

thank you

the only thing now is i have to work forever and ever.

(only joking, loving it in theatres)

Wonder how the OP did with her assignment? She never did come back....hmmm.......