Policy help

[puffin170]

I currently am helping to write a policy for our hospital that allows patients off the unit for "fresh air" Our patients go off our unit but nothing is written anywhere which given rules and responsibilities . I am writing a waiver that our patients would have to sign. Does anyone have this in their hospitals and what is on the waiver. Any help is appreciated.

[amoLucia]

Get your facility's Legal Dept to write a waiver. That's what they get paid for.

They SHOULD most likely know all the legal INs and OUTs of any contract.

I'd hate to be on the WRONG end of some kind of do-it-yourself contract if something goes bad! (esp since it' most likely some front-line staff nurse who'll take the heat - not the authors).

[Buckeye.nurse]

I agree with having input from risk management prior to implementing a waver. From what I've seen, wavers generally include something about the dangers of oxygen tanks when getting "fresh air". I've also worked for an employer where the doctors went over the close monitoring required for IV narcotics. If patients chose to leave the floor they were transitioned to a dose equivalent oral narcotic.

[Delia37, MSN]

Is this a long term facility setting??

If this a common occurrence in an acute care setting, maybe case managers and physicians need to be more aggressive discharging these patients.