Do you cut off Name Band?

[nkochrn]

We had a patient recently who cut their own name band off in the parking lot and then threw it on the ground. According to our hospital it was a HIPPA violation and we got in trouble for it. We are now supposed to cut all name bands off of discharged patients before they leave. I don't know why but I always thought you weren't supposed to take the name band off of any patient.

[StNeotser, ASN, RN]

No, I don't do this when I d/c and so far we haven't been told to. Yet another thing I suppose.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

The most senoir Security Guard stationed by the exit door is the one responsible for cutting off the wrist bands of patients on discharge from our hospital. Along with that responsibility is to check the duly signed discharge notification from the accounting office and the home istruction form from their attending MD's.

you are kidding, yes?

[flightnurse2b, LPN]

we can remove all other arm bands before d/c (such as fall risk, anticoag risk, etc) except the name band.... they are required to leave with that. just another rediculous rule that lets any problem fall back on the nurse.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

we cut them off. If they fall down in the parking lot and have to return to the building they are a new admit.

[dscrn]

The most senoir Security Guard stationed by the exit door is the one responsible for cutting off the wrist bands of patients on discharge from our hospital. Along with that responsibility is to check the duly signed discharge notification from the accounting office and the home istruction form from their attending MD's.

Wow, I see a whole long line of p*****d. d/c pts...how many discharges does he handle in one day? What happens if the pts inst have been sent out to the car with family already?

[zamboni]

I work ER, and I started cutting them off of DC'd patients after a good friend and mentor pointed out that it was a security risk to let them leave with them. Her rationale was that it was much easier for a person to come back to the hospital, even days later, and wander around without being questioned if they had an armband. With our high homeless population that made perfect sense to me. So now I snip them off in the room after they sign DC papers before I walk them out. I also don't have the attention span or motivation to track down the HIPAA box, so I drop the band in the sharps container in the room.

[Inspired By Silence]

Here's something I have experience with. In all my years of being a patient, not once did I ever have my band cut off from me before I left. I cut them off myself when I get home and cut up my SS number so as to prevent identity theft.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I don't cut them off unless they are literally out the door.

(Have dealt with at least 2 patients, one of whom left AMA.....code outside the doors. Having the bands on them at least helped with getting the records)

[MikeyBSN]

I've never heard of such a thing. How is it a HIPPA violation? The band belongs to the patient. HIPPA prevents the hospital from giving out protect health information. If the patient wants to take his band off outside the hospital and throw it on the ground then that's his choice. If that was the case then we would have to shred the discharge instructions before the patient left the hospital in case they "fell into the wrong hands." Seriously?

[nkochrn, RN]

I didn't even think of the discharge instructions! I don't know how exactly the hospital "got into trouble" for it. I was just told that was what was said in the nurses meeting.

One of the Doctors last night was talking about how this hospital is really bad about misenterpreting the rules and taking EVERYTHING to the extreme. It is really outta hand.

[MikeyBSN]

I didn't even think of the discharge instructions! I don't know how exactly the hospital "got into trouble" for it. I was just told that was what was said in the nurses meeting.

One of the Doctors last night was talking about how this hospital is really bad about misenterpreting the rules and taking EVERYTHING to the extreme. It is really outta hand.

I doubt the hospital "go in trouble" with any type of authority over this. They probably just think they need another useless rule. Either that or they have a really bad lawyer.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

I am sooo sick of this. People get so carried away with HIPPA and most of them have never even read the actual law concerning HIPPA. I don't care where the patient throws their discharge instructions or their arm bands. And I dare anyone to come to me and say one thing to me about it.