How Soon Should APS Be Called?

[jschut]

We have a lady in our LTCF who has a trach and a G-Tube. She is fully aware of what is going on around her. Her mind is still sharp as a tack, just her body is falling apart due to cancer. (Very elderly lady...)

My question is...

the husband (they've only been married about 7 years or so) was suctioning her quite frequently, even against the advice of the nurses and finally against a written order from the doctor. He would suction her, causing her to have bloody mucous at her trach site. Finally, the nurses have removed all suction equiptment from her room to keep him from harming her.

She throws up her tube feeding whenever he is around, and grips the side railings of her bed when he stands over her. In other words, he makes her a nervous wreck...

He cancels Doctor appointments for her, doesn't tell the facility until it's time for her to go (by ambulance). Facility has no contact with Doctors or Radiologists...all appointments are made by him...

Finally, yesterday was the last straw, I guess. A friend of mine finally stood up to one of the Administrators against this man and made her call Adult Protective Services for this lady. Now he says he's going to move her out of our facility in 4 days....can he?

He keeps moving her to different facilities so her family can't find her....her one daughter has been told by him that if she ever shows up, he'll have her arrested....(this daughter has the POA over her Mother). This man has been fighting her family in court since day one to gain control of her assets...

I guess what I need to know is...can he move her? And...is it ok for a LPN to call APS if I feel the need, or do I have to go through my supervisor? I know I should go through my supervisor first, but I mean if nothing is done and I still feel a patient is being harmed by a visitor/relative. Because I complained for three weeks before anything was done about this man suctioning her...that we should call APS because he was obviously harming her...nothing was done until yesterday. Would I still be in my scope of practice by calling myself in order to protect my patient?

Thanks....

Julie

[New CCU RN]

I would not try and solve the matter on your own. While you may want to intervene, it seems as though this is a matter for the higher ups. I would find out what your facility's policy and procedure is. If you are not sure, contact your superior with the facts not your opinions on what is occuring. If your facility has some sort of risk management, I would also let them in on what is occuring. Best of luck to you and your poor patient!!!

[Vsummer1]

WE ARE ALL MANDATORY REPORTERS. Period. YOU are not required to do anything but report, the proof comes from the investigation. By NOT reporting, you are just enabling the abuse.

Look around your facility, there should be -- in plain sight -- the number to call. ANYONE can and should report abuse to the proper authorities. Your "chain of command" should be notified as well, but in addition to -- not in place of -- your state's elder abuse hotline or ombudsman.