NH Residents without ID bands

[JustAdmitToObs]

Is this normal? Only way to identify resident is to compare them against a tiny black and white photo on their meds. This will sound bad, but I have serious difficulties in distinguishing one geriatric resident from the rest. My preceptor says to ask the aids if I'm not sure, but that doesn't make me feel any more comfortable.

[NurseJamie8]

I've worked in two nursing homes as a nurse and both weren't very strict on name bands. When I first started it was hard to remember who was who but after orientation I knew who everyone was. We also had pictures but they were black and white bad grainy too. It can be hard to keep the name bands on most of these patients, they just take them off. In my experiences the aides were always helpful.

[laderalis]

We use pictures too, but they are in color. We only use name bands on new admits before we get a picture.

It was weird for me to have someone else ID the resident, but you will learn them in no time.

[sharpeimom]

I worked in a psych hospital and I'd get pulled occasionally to one of the

geriatric buildings. Many patients wouldn't keep a name band on. The regular staff knew e everyone. It was only those of who were pulled there who got confused and since many most?? patients were deaf,the

aides helped identity them for us. That was crucial because so many were hard of hearing. Today, those patients would have been found new

homes.

A nursing home or skilled living facility may be where we work, but we go home and they live there. It's their home. We don't wear our I'D badges at home and neither should they.

[amoLucia]

Many pt ID systems leave a lot to be desired. Personally, I have a horrible time identifying mostly anybody (forget about them being NH pts); I'm just bad on facial recognitions. And most NH pts all look the same to me so I do really rely on ID bands. Pt pictures on 11-7 are useless.

But after some time and the 3 systems (ID bands, pix and CNA identifications) I've managed well.

I do hate ID bands/bracelets that fall off or can be slid off by the pts. And then if another pt picks one up and puts it on ... horrors!!!

This truly happened to me one time. Fortunately, the lab tech recognized that pt and realized that the bracelet was wrong. It was right pt in the right bed, but with a wrong bracelet. No meds for my shift but I thought my census was minus one pt. That bracelet name was no longer in-house, so the realization came to me that no one had been checking for pt IDs with med passes. Scared me.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

it is less than ideal,

several homes i worked there were no id bands and i have even had to rely on an alert resident

but then again itsctheir home, most other staff of tenure is helpful

[TardisMom]

Where I work we do have ID bands on the residents that will keep them on, they can however refuse to wear them if they wish. We also have photos on the EMAR from admission but on some residents the photos are a few years old or they refused to have one taken. It doesn't take long to learn the residents if you are on a unit frequently. Especially on LTC or memory care units, they don't change unless someone dies. It gets more complicated on the rehab unit with the constantly revolving door. Sometimes you just do the best you can and, yes, I have had to ask a CNA who knows the residents better than I do, and I have worked at facilities that don't have armbands on any of the residents. It is scary but just another challenge in this particular area of nursing.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

If you facility does not have the residents wear ID bands then they need to update pictures every 6 months. They also need to be in color. You can rely on other staff, but that is not always safe. In time you will learn who the residents are, but if you are floated to another unit you are back in the same situation. Not safe at all.

[EmpathyInAction]

We have no ID bands. We use pictures, but most all the staff has been here at least 8 yrs and knows everyone by name, so when in doubt, I can ask.