Isn't it the pt's right to...

[Sandi0302]

Refuse care from a NA?

I work in an Assisted living facility, which has quite a few Russian/Ukrainian/Georgian employees. Some can speak English very well, others okay, and three speak very little English. I am the day LPN. We all have to carry around portable phones with us to communicate (which is great). However, whenever one of the girls that speaks little English calls me, they need to speak with the med-aid (who is Gerogian) to tell her, so then she can tell ME what they said (ie translate). This is seen as a problem because it is not everyday that this med aid is there to do this. The other problem is that one of the residents one day refused care from the one girl because she cannot understand English well, which in my opinion is a hazard. According to the GEORGIAN administrator, the resident cannot refuse care from any staff member...am I wrong, or isnt it the pt's RIGHT to refuse care from anyone?

[Jasmine777]

It is the patient's right to refuse care as long as the patient is mentally competent and as long as he is not endangering other people by refusing care (for example a patient with active TB needs to take his meds so that other people don't become infected...this is mandatory).

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

We can't provide legal advice. However, it is a patient's right to refuse care, even TB meds. (The big reason we don't provide legal or medical advice is because we are NOT lawyers). Take care...check with your state BON for more information.

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

There is certainly criteria, check out your local BON and the Patients Right Act. I have actually copied the Patient Rights Act when defending myself in an ALF for a patient that declined CBG's and I got cussed out for not forcing her (she was of absolute sound mind, she just wanted it done less daily...I contacted her MD, they met, and they decreased the frequency...seems she had an MD switch long ago and that order was never fully looked at again...so this MD along with an endocrinologist scheduled it more for her lifestyle and needs.).

I won my debate with the admin with that patients rights act, and the facilities own mission statement of "respecting the rights of all persons to have individualized daily care, and the right to be a part of it".