I was doing wound rounds today. Entered a patient's room to look at his wound. Looked at the person in the bed next to his and saw a long piece of white tape on her arm upon which was written "Please do not use this arm for IVs, blood draws or blood pressures.":uhoh3:
I asked the woman if I could remove the tape and she said "Of course,dear".
I brought the tape out to the nurses station and asked the nurse who was standing there who in the world would ever put a piece of tape on a patient's arm like that. She said "I did". I was practically speechless which is very unlike me. "What ever possessed you to do that???" I asked.
"Oh" she replied "How else would we know that she has a new dialysis shunt and we're not supposed to use that arm?"
I've been a nurse for 25 years and thought I'd seen it all but this sinks to a new low. I calmly explained to her that we have many ways to pass along information...the MAR, the TAR, the ADL care cards, the care plan. She is NOT a new nurse.
Oh but I have a lot of work to do at my new facility!!!!
Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.
I've worked in facilities which were cited by DPH for having signs posted over the person's bed.
And for all those of you who think I was over reacting....would you like your grandmother (or yourself for that matter) to be in a facility that had no other means of communicating critical information other than a piece of tape? I'd be worried every minute...what happens if the tape falls off? Would you have us tape instructions to all the patients? This one gets thickened liquids...this one is allergic to seafood...this one has to have a BM? The dignity issue is huge.
Mermaid--Yes, I would rather my grandfather have had a piece of tape on his arm and NOT blown his shunt than to have it written in the MAR and TAR and have it blown by a CNA who did his BP there twice in one shift.
I think you were so right CCM, having a tag on someones arm is undignified and breaches confidentiality. Poor woman must have felt like some sort of exhibit at a museum.
I think you were so right CCM, having a tag on someones arm is undignified and breaches confidentiality. Poor woman must have felt like some sort of exhibit at a museum.
Hmmm.....the OP makes it sound like she had a male cohort. I would be more concerned about that breech than the tape.
Mermaid--Yes, I would rather my grandfather have had a piece of tape on his arm and NOT blown his shunt than to have it written in the MAR and TAR and have it blown by a CNA who did his BP there twice in one shift.
She had "over looked" it.:trout:
I have to agree with you. I don't believe this is a HIPPA violation and as far as human dignity I think that's stretching it a bit. I'd rather have that on my arm then some uninformed person come in. Granted she could have put a sign up but maybe when she was in the room that was the quickest thing to do to keep the patient safe.
;)Ok, I understand about the dignity issue. What if you are an alert oriented adult and you consent to it? I personally would not care if you put a neon blinking sign over my head.
I can see DPH now..After citing you for that breach of dignity, it'd spiral from there...delving into the existing systems of communication like report, log, MAR,TAR, care plan, care cards for CNA's---were important pieces of info being missed with traditional means that a nurse felt the need to put a "sign" on a resident? Seriously, I can imagine that and worse if it was during a survey.Ugg
Then staff developement would be brushing up on residents dignity/rights inservice, as part of a plan of correction.
LTC is definately it's own world, but that's rather basic knowledge if you've been doing it awhile;as is the signs above the bed or on the walls..weird that it didn't occur to her that taped messages on residents' bodies were not a common sight, and why.
Anyway,I hope you enjoy your new position and make a positive difference at your facility!
The male cohort in question is her husband. Even the state of Massachusetts wouldn't object to that.
CapeCodMermaid, RN
6,092 Posts
I've worked in facilities which were cited by DPH for having signs posted over the person's bed.
And for all those of you who think I was over reacting....would you like your grandmother (or yourself for that matter) to be in a facility that had no other means of communicating critical information other than a piece of tape? I'd be worried every minute...what happens if the tape falls off? Would you have us tape instructions to all the patients? This one gets thickened liquids...this one is allergic to seafood...this one has to have a BM? The dignity issue is huge.