New Ohio law would let families put cameras in nursing home rooms

[Nursingstudent___]

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/ohio/ohio-bill-would-allow-families-to-place-cameras-in-rooms-of-elder-care-patients/95-b3c950eb-8b44-433c-a963-856761865991?fbclid=IwAR2ZNhc4oynwA1NHzwjsC4qP5hWXrbZNlVyctY_hFe3CeAE9nw2KT7GEpUE

What do you think of this law that would allow families to place cameras in the rooms of elderly patients. I'm pretty against it mostly because we do a lot of cares in the patient's rooms and I think it violates the privacy of the patient. I mean does anyone want to see their demented parents throw their feces across the room because they were confused? Doesn't the patient have the right to have privacy and dignity when they have dementia or are going through delirium. I also worry about OTHER resident's privacy. Many times we have one resident go into another resident's room to hang out and talk or do whatever. Does that random resident have the right to be recorded.

I can also see the flip side in concerns about abuse. I'm wondering what you all think about this new bill?

[WisconsinCheddr]

On 1/7/2020 at 2:02 PM, JKL33 said:

I just want to make sure I understand the pro-camera (in patient care areas) theory:

1. Good, conscientious caregivers are all going to proclaim, "Please let me be filmed all day by multiple different families with their own motivations, in this resource-restricted environment where the entire business plan is to not spend too much money on these old people."

and

2. Abusers are going to stay away and/or stop abusing because they have a lot of job options and a lot of self control.

THIS. ALL OF THIS. I just worked on a unit last night where I was warned *after* checking in with the resident that her mother put a CAMERA in the room. It's hard enough to do the physical and emotional work we do without Big Mother grading us. I also realized that was the reason I got that section-- nobody else wanted to be filmed!

Keep in mind that I have zero issue with my nurse or supervisor doing a random check to make sure a resident is safe and clean/dry. That's my job and I take the Pepsi challenge with any aide's residents on being clean and safe at all hours.

But this is sooo different.

This could in my opinion violate other residents's privacy, as she is on the Alzheimer's/closed unit. Someone could roll in the room and be on camera or roll by and be caught by Big Mother. They didn't agree to that, and if it's one who likes to pull their shirt up and flash their boobs or thinks this room is their room and tries to go to the bathroom, Mom gets to see that too. Not fair to those residents and their families. Mom only sees half the story and what follows? A lawsuit or someone loses their job? Great. Even less staff. Thanks Mom, terrific intervention-- now nobody gets the care they deserve.

For instance: last night, one resident got up out of her chair no fewer than 5 times in the first 3 hours of my shift. Although she was not mine, I ran down the hall when I heard the alarm sound, and saw her walking unsteadily around the door of a male room into their toilet where I caught her just as she was preparing to plop down on the commode. I apologized to the resident, helped the lady finish her business, and gently but firmly got her into her chair and out of the room altogether. When I first worked with this resident years ago, she had 2 broken legs--can ya guess why? Always has had a bed and a chair alarm and has safety mats too. She works past that with ease and it's against the law to restrain these people. Something for Big Mother to think about perhaps...

[Kyrshamarks, BSN, RN]

The nursing home is considered their home and as such they have the right to monitor their home.