I tried to tell them!

[LightX]

There is a resident who is a mechanical lift to transfer.

She hates waiting and often tells me to leave the room so she can self transfer without me seeing her. (Because I tell her I can't let her do it without the lift).

I told the nurse this and she says "she'll never do it, I've known her long enough".

The resident doesn't have any sort of chair/bed alarm on. They say she doesn't need it.

Last night, I happen to be walking by her room and I saw her starting to self transfer!!! She didn't even get her bottom off the chair, but I caught her soon enough. I told the nurse and again I got "she'll never be able to do it, don't worry".

I'm telling you one day, she's going to try to transfer and of course she won't make it. Noone believes me because I've only been there a few months. (What do I know!?).

I did tell the director of nursing last night who said she'd look into it. I'll bet she'll just ask the resident's nurse what she thinks...and it'll go no where.

Then I'll say "I tried to tell you"................

[mvm2]

well you did everything you could and at least you covered yourself by telling all the apropriate people. Hopefully she does not get hurt, but if she does at least you are in the clear. Could you try to ask again if they would try to have an alarm given to her. Just say it is for her safty and to protect the facility.

[mstearns09]

We deal with something similar with a resident. Today, I helped a fellow shower aide hook up this resident to a sit-to-stand lift to transfer said resident to a shower chair. She gave us crap the whole time saying we didn't need to do it and that her husband (who agrees that we need to use it on her for our safety and hers) doesn't know anything about it. This is the same resident whom I've helped at least three different nurses pick up off the floor at least five times in the last three months. I simply told her that we have the approval from the restorative department and our DON to use it on her for our safety. If you can, document that you've contacted your higher-ups so that if she does transfer herself and falls, there is evidence you tried to intervene by taking it to your nurse and DON.

[LightX]

This resident is currently in the hospital because of a fall. ( I wasn't working the night she fell). The nurse told me she broke her wrist and has a black eye. This is the same nurse who told me she would never be able to try to transfer....

I'm not sure what will happen next. I'm not too worried since I reported my concerns to more than one nurse! This facility has an excellent reputation for good quality care.... They missed this one tho...

[mvm2]

So sorry to hear this. Well maybe if she comes back to you they will find other ways to keep her safe. Like I said before you tried your best to tell them that this could happen, and nothing else can be done at this point, and you can not feel guilty about it