patient belongings

[nursejennie76]

Just a question about how this situation is handled in other ER's. We had our firt unit based practice council meeting, and we are going to have to start writing down the specific items patients come into the ER with and have them sign it before they leave the department. I see this as silly, and the number of things patients say are missing is far less then the amount of nursing time spent collecting this information from them. Just wanting some input so I can agree with or argue this new policy at our next meeting.

[kaycee]

We only do belonging lists on pt's who are admitted. We have a checklist of what they are keeping with them in the hospital and they sign it.

If they can't sign, have decreased LOC or no family with them, security takes their stuff and locks it up.

It has cut down on patients and families claiming they had things that they did not, and expecting the hospital to reimburse them. It really doesn't take that much time. Now if you're talking about every pt that walks in the ER, and not just admits, that is insane.

[snowfreeze, BSN, RN]

All patients come to an ER in some distressed state. They don't remember that they left their watch at home or that their daughter took their purse home just before they were intubated. It saves a lot of time for staff who end up calling families and scurrying around 10 days later and throughout the whole hospital stay trying to find things that were never with the patient in the first place. Another quick check by staff upon arrival to the unit can help to deter theft, although this is rare, it does help to identify where the thief is in the system. Develop a policy that all unnessary belongings will be sent home with family and all valuables will be put in the hospital safe. We are not a storage facility and there is no where to store items during your recovery here. If no one is available to retrieve personal items prior to admission to a unit then items are expected to be taken home within 24 hours.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

At our hospital we document what the patient brings in with them, but we don't go through their pocketbook and count money. When they sign in they sign a release from liability, and I document on the admission notes that "patient declined use of safe." If a family member takes a pocketbook, or jewellery I note that too in case the patient forgets.

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

We don't do this with ER visits, only on admit. Also, we encourage pts to send their home meds home with a friend or relation. Otherwise we have to box them up, send them to pharmacy then retrieve them on discharge. Amazingly enough, patients only seem to think it is Ultram and Oxycontin that is missing!

[TazziRN, RN]

What Purple said. We also list belongings for pts who are transferred, which we do a lot of, but not for treated and streeted ER pts.

[susi_q]

We normallly only document for admits ... even then, I can get a little relaxed about it. However ... we just had one of our FFs claim that he had >$1000 in his wallet that was missing (picked up drunk)...because we hadnt documented when we took his belongings, the hospital settled. Thankfully that one wasn't me, but I am more careful now when i take possession of belongings.

[RunnerRN, BSN, RN]

I typically don't touch my patient's belongings. We have pastoral care services (chaplains) and patient service reps who deal with family issues and belongings. I very rarely say "that isn't my job" but I do feel that I have bigger fish to fry than making a list with "pink collared shirt, XL" on it. JMO

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

I typically don't touch my patient's belongings. We have pastoral care services (chaplains) and patient service reps who deal with family issues and belongings. I very rarely say "that isn't my job" but I do feel that I have bigger fish to fry than making a list with "pink collared shirt, XL" on it. JMO

I worked at one very busy ER where we had to do just that....list everything they had on their person as well as everything in their purse or wallet. I would get crazy and list empty gum wrappers, large wads of lint, pieces of string, wal mart receipts etc. just to make a point.

Fortunately my current employer is more reasonable. If there is family available, we tell them to take everything valuable. Patients usually want to keep jewelry, phone and a few dollars, but I try to get everything else sent home. If they are not competant and have no family, security does the inventory, stores everything and we don't have to fool with it. Thankfully we don't have to!

[eahutchie]

inventory of the patients belongings is fine; however, what do you do if you find say glasses, hearing aids, dentures after housekeeping has gone through the room and has a load of items to clean.

How do you know which item belongs to whom if it is for example wrapped up in sheets and not found until just prior to cleaning?

[SDS_RN, RN]

Just prior to starting our computer charting we had a pt that had a head injury got xfered to another facility then 2 wks later, that's right 2 wks later he reported that he had like $100 missing from when he was injured.

It wasn't my pt but I had been in the room briefly to help remove the back board and had to be questioned about noticing the pt's belongings. I said sorry but that's the least of my worries when any pt comes to the ED. We now have a box to check upon xfer or d/c that pt belongings were returned or sent w/ family ect.

[RedSox33RN]

Our ED/hospital just recently had to fork over $90k (yup, that number is right!) to a woman who "claimed" that her some ridiculous sized diamond earrings were missing after a visit to us. No one could prove her wrong, so the hospital paid 9or insurance company did).

So now we have to tell the pt that THEY are responsible for anything they bring in, and if they want to call someone to come pick something up they can.