Policy on patient leaving AMA with IV in place

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jun 5, 2008

Usually we hav plenty of time from the time they start yacking about leaving AMA to the time the actually go to take it out. If they refuse to have it taken out im sure we would call security and get it out first.
I have had a patient discharge and we forgot to take it out though. In that instance i called them at home and i went to their house after i left work and took it out. No reason for them to come all the way back since it was our fault in the first place. They were fine with me making a short visit on my way home to do it.

When I was in the ER in december I was almost discharged with it in place. One of my nurses coworkers (it is kind of team like kind of individual nurses taking their patients at this er) was kind of like well you can go...I said that I still had it in place and she was like Oh, and took it out for me. If I had not known that it had to come out I would have come home with it.

barbyann · Jun 5, 2008

Our policy is that elopers with IVs are reported to the PD.

My last eloper w/IV was picked up by the police after a local retail store cashier called to report a drunk old man was attempting to buy shoes and when he went to hand over the money she noted the heplock. He was returned safe and sound and drunker than a skunk.

northshore08 · Jun 5, 2008

Our ED policy is to notify the pt by phone, then to call the sheriff if you cannot reach them or if they do not return immediately. I tell them if they do not return, the sheriff will come get them and bring them back. Some have returned under their own power, others have been dragged back in by the deputies for IV removal. But we gotta make/document the calls, no matter what happens. I've never had the police refuse to help or laugh at the call. :coollook:

elizabells, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2008

My dad was discharged from the CICU with a heplock in place... He just pulled it out himself, he was so not interested in having to go back. As I recall, no one ever called.

twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN · Jun 5, 2008

we call the police dept who of course have nothing better they would rather be doing but look for this dimwit and bring them back to us so we can take the iv out.

mpccrn, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2008

usually the ama patient wants nothing more to do with the hospital and we take the iv out gladly before they stomp out the door. i did hear of a recent incident where a known heroine addict came to the ER, had an iv placed and somehow slipped out the door....the doc was ****** and made life miserable for everyone, in every department....thank goodness that shift was over quick enough!

mscsrjhm · Jun 5, 2008

Our ED policy is to notify the pt by phone, then to call the sheriff if you cannot reach them or if they do not return immediately. I tell them if they do not return, the sheriff will come get them and bring them back. Some have returned under their own power, others have been dragged back in by the deputies for IV removal. But we gotta make/document the calls, no matter what happens. I've never had the police refuse to help or laugh at the call.

?Sheriff's department sued often for violating civil rights?

This would be an illegal act by any law enforcement office, without a warrent.

No crime has been committed.

You are in the USA?

nuangel1, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2008

we do the same if pt leaves ama or escapes from our ed with iv and other items still in .we call at the number on the chart and request pt return.per our hospital policy we also must notify police.while i am sure they have other things to do i have never been laughed at .they keep i out for pt thats all.

trainer2070 · Jun 5, 2008

Thanks for all the replies. I'm actually a security shift supervisor while I finish up nursing school and we had a pt elope with IV still in place. Our policy is PD is notified when someone elopes with IV in place, however our house supervisor didn't think it was necessary and actually got ****** when I asked them if they were going to call. I coverd my a** in my report in case it comes back to bite us, I was just curious what everyones else policies stated. And I definitely agree that LEO's have better things to do than chase down eloped pt's with IV's, but policy is policy.

aeauooo · Jun 5, 2008

Ya that and their catheter as well... as far as I know you cant shoot drugs up that route...

That's an interesting thought. If narcotics can be absorbed rectally, I don't know that they wouldn't be absorbed through the mucosa of the bladder.

Knowing what we do about human behavior, I have no doubt there's someone out there who has tried it.

aeauooo · Jun 5, 2008

If the patient left AMA and the IV was not taken out before hand, a nurse from the unit would call the patient and GO TO THE PATIENT's HOUSE TO D/C or REMOVE SAID IV/HEP LOCK. Didn't happen often, but it happens
athena

No way! That sounds like a liability, considering the neighborhoods a lot of my patients live in.

What if you're patient lives in a crack house?

northshore08 · Jun 5, 2008

?Sheriff's department sued often for violating civil rights?
This would be an illegal act by any law enforcement office, without a warrent.
No crime has been committed.
You are in the USA?

Might be illegal under the same law that does not allow the general public to use medical devices without a prescription, or the the law that makes it illegal to harm yourself. Or maybe the one where it is illegal to shoot up narcotics?

Anyway, the ACLU never came to our facility as far as I know. But the patients returned one way or another. And the sheriff continues to bring them in as needed.