Patient ID Bracelets in LTC?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

I am an RN and just started a job at an LTC center this past week as an ADON. My former job was in critical care.

QUICK QUESTION: I was extremely surprised to find that not a single patient had any type of ID bracelet or name badge. I was hanging an IV for an LPN and was looking for a bracelet. I did not know the patient, the patient was confused, and I had no way to identify the patient other than the name on the door. My immediate thought is that this is extremely dangerous. Or, am I out of line and this is a common thing in LTC?

Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

I worked at an LTC for 2 years as a CNA, and most residents did have armbands. It might be the company (which has most LTCs in the area). I can clearly recall having, in LVN school, to identify residents by armband, photograph in the MAR when passing meds.

The supervisor on my shift told me "ask the aides" who is who.

Specializes in Critical Care & ENT.

Sounds like there needs to be a policy review. If any surveyor comes in, they do not know the patients. They may present that question and usually want a system in place that works for someone who has been there for 20 years or 20 minutes. Of course, the person that has been working there will know the patients back and front. The pictures on the MAR is what I mostly know.

When I worked in an ALF we had pictures on the MAR. The residents also sat at the same seats 99% of the time, so we had a diagram of the dining room. It took me about 4 shifts to learn about 50 residents names. Again the pictures helped out!

Specializes in LTC.

At our facility our residents wear barcoded wristbands for the sole purpose of identifying them properly for the right medications. It is policy and in my 36 years of being a nurse, I have yet to come across anyone whoever had a problem with dignity wearing one. nursesmileyf.gif

Specializes in LTC.
No, it's the gray-haired one with the glasses... NO! The other gray-haired one with the glasses...no.. NO! Not THAT one! :chuckle

In the wheelchair sitting by the desk.. no not that one the other one! lol

My facility has the residents wear armbands all the time and now I know who the residents are. But when I was new and didn't know their names I made sure I checked their name bands when giving meds.

I would like to see if pts are one or two assist posted on their doors. As a new employee, I'm never sure how to help patients ambulate. I always have to ask someone.

Specializes in Long Term Care.
i do understand what most of you are saying about being nervous because you don't know the residents. Most places do have systems in place so you can identify them and yes you do eventually get to know them. i don't appreciate the "label them" comment. The residents aren't dogs or animals. They are people. it is supposed to be THEIR home! Do you wear an ID bracelet at home???? If i am not sure of someone who is new, i check the door, the picture, and as someone else.

Although I understand your concern, I think if I am ever to be a resident in a LTC facility, I would much prefer getting the correct medicine over having an ID braclet on. If given the wrong med, they could end up having a toe tag on, which in my opinion is much worse than an ID braclet. As a new nurse the first couple of days on the unit I made the comment to the supervisor and she didn't realize that many residents had taken them off so she had all the cna's make sure their residents had one on or they put one on. The pictures on the MARS and TARs ..HA HA HA, they don't look anything like the people they are supposed to be. Matter of fact, some of them look more like their roomies picture than the actual roomie. Having someone ID them for you is sometimes impossible. Last night I worked on a unit I had not worked on before. Although all the staff on the unit were not new, myself and 2 out of the 3 cna's were from the other unit (many reg. staff of that floor scheduled off for a parade). Only 1 person knew who these people were. Thank goodness many had braclets on!!!! As for the one CNA, not only was she struggling to get her work done, but she had me and the other cna's coming to ask her to come and id people. ID braclets are the best way to prevent many errors :nurse:

Everyone in my facility has an ID band. Or they should. We also have pictures on our computerized MAR, which is wonderful except some of the pics are older and some of our residents look nothing like the picture.

When I first started, I'd look at the MAR pic, check the ID band and ask a CNA (if one were around). Now, I know all my residents by name, face, room number. As I do my med passes (x2 each shift) I do a quick visual check to make sure an ID band is in place, if it isn't, I write the name down and request a new one, I also request new ones if the one on is faded, too small/too big.

I'd go crazy as a new employee if no one had an ID on.

Specializes in LTC.
I would like to see if pts are one or two assist posted on their doors. As a new employee, I'm never sure how to help patients ambulate. I always have to ask someone.

I had clinical at a facility who had the residents plan of care in a little pocket on the back of the their door. Not the whole care plan but how they are moved, toileting, meals, their shower day, a biography about them and what they like to do.

Looks like its 2 years later and this is still an issue. I am a brand new Nurse at my first job in Long term care. I was hired only to work every other weekend and I think they are going to float me around. There are over 100 residents in this facility and Im going to have a heck of a time with this. Nobody wears an identification at all and they are most often not in their rooms for med pass. I have 36 clients to pass meds on tonight, the only reason I am able to do it correctly and on time is because I am orienting with a Nurse who knows everyone. If she has not been nearby , I ask a CNA. I dont see how I am going to manage this when I am on my own in a couple of weeks. Im not there often enough to get to know all the clients and there is not always a CNA handy when I need to ID a client. When I go into a client room and they are there, Im going off of the names listed on the door. Thats right, they have 3-4 people in a room and the names are only on the door. The beds are supposed to be in a certain order, but what if someone is in their wheelchair in someone elses living space? I cant rely on the client for identification, there is too much dementia and psych issues. Im very anxious about this,what can I do?

You need to speak up and tell the unit manager they need bracelets. I don't know what state you're in, but in Mass., ID bracelets are a must. That is your only option. It is not practical with 36 patients to run and find a staff member that can ID all the patients. Maybe the manager just isn't aware they are all off? When you know everyone you don't always think to check.

Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Residents in Massachusetts have the right to refuse a name bracelet. At my last building, only the short term people wore name bracelets. Everyone else was identified by a picture on the EMAR. We updated the pictures at least every 6 months so it wasn't an issue. Joint Commission says there has to be two patient identifiers but they don't specify what 2 you have to use.

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