home iv therapy

[fitzman]

I work in home care on the IV team. We recently recieved a patient on service who is a known IV drug user. Everyone (nurses and pharmacist) on the IV team felt this patient is inappropriate for home care service. Management felt differently and accepted the patient, against a strong plea against it. Does anyone have thoughts, suggestions or even legal/ethical advice.

[Agnus]

Perhaps the legal issues that you raise might best be answered by an attorney. Have you asked your risk manager, or the insurer that covers you or the one that covers your agency?

[fitzman]

Agnus thank you for your last two responses. My personal safty is a concern. When we had a meeting about this issue I felt the clinicians personal safty was of low priority. I came out right to the manager and stated had I been assigned to the admission I would have considered to decline it because I did not feel safe going into that patient's home. The manager, who was taking notes of the meeting, wrote my statement down in capital letters. I know we can not control a patient's behavior and they can shot up anytime they want, but we should not be sending someone home with an easy access. As for a "contract" for the patient to sign. We have had only three other such cases in the past five years I have been on the IV team, two OD and one had his line removed after random testing showed opiates in his blood. So pieces of paper mean nothing to a addict. Granted these cases are few and far between. The situation that arouse caused red flags to go up in the heads of the clinicians, not for managment. And even when we presented our concerns in a professional forum, they were be littled. Which prompted me to write this thread and get insight from other nurse's who may have found themself in a similiar situation and how they handled it so I could bring the advice back to my colleagues. Thank you everyone who offered helpful advice.