side rail use in private duty homecare

Specialties Private Duty

Published

HI, have a question. Home care client has a hospital bed. If I use upper and lower side rails with this client, is that the same as facility nursing where all side rails are considered a restraint. I do private duty home care 12 hour night shifts. There are no orders concerning side rail usage. The family don't care if we use them or not. The case manager just told me to do what I thought needed to done to keep the client safe. I know in facilities where I have worked prior to this job it is considered false imprisonment. Am I doing wrong by using full upper and bottom side rails with this client?

Specializes in Peds, School Nurse, clinical instructor.

I would obtain an order for any use of side rails.

Put three side rails up. Create a fourth "side rail" with the bedside table, but provide adequate space between the bed and the table - maybe a foot or so. Home care or not, there can be serious consequences if something happens to the patient with all four side rails up. I wouldn't risk it.

All side rails being up is considered a restraint.

Source?

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Nursing School 101

When do they go over the differences between of rail use in PDN/Home care & hospital in nursing school? Mine never did.

When do they go over the differences between of rail use in PDN/Home care & hospital in nursing school? Mine never did.

Maybe school for RN and LVN are different. Otherwise, I can't explain why you didn't learn this the first week of class like my fellow nurses and myself.

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Maybe school for RN and LVN are different. Otherwise, I can't explain why you didn't learn this the first week of class like my fellow nurses and myself.

Why would I learn it the first week of class? That was spent going over basic skills.

You have been rude to me since day once. Please stop talking to me.

Why would I learn it the first week of class? That was spent going over basic skills.

You have been rude to me since day once. Please stop talking to me.

You quoted me and asked when in nursing school it was taught that all siderails up is considered a restraint so I answered you. To be more specific, it was included in basic skills learned in the first part of class. Nobody is being rude to you.

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
You quoted me and asked when in nursing school it was taught that all siderails up is considered a restraint so I answered you. To be more specific, it was included in basic skills learned in the first part of class. Nobody is being rude to you.

You have been rude to me since day 1. No, we went over basic skills like washing our hands & putting on gloves.

Just because I quoted you doesn't mean I'm talking to you or you need to respond. I guess I will have to block you now to stop any further harassment.

Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

Here is a strange bed rail situation. My patient likes his rails up at all times for safety. He has MD with paralysis and is not capable of climbing out of bed. A case worker came in and said it was a restraint. The pt feels safe like this and wants them up. Anyway, we got it put on the plan of care. Another pt of mine has no rails at all per his preference so I got that on the plan of care too. CYA.

When I worked at a residential care facility we were only allowed to have one side of the bed have rails up. We "created"(with a chair) another side rail at bed time so resident wouldn't try to roll out of bed

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Here is a strange bed rail situation. My patient likes his rails up at all times for safety. He has MD with paralysis and is not capable of climbing out of bed. A case worker came in and said it was a restraint. The pt feels safe like this and wants them up. Anyway, we got it put on the plan of care. Another pt of mine has no rails at all per his preference so I got that on the plan of care too. CYA.

How is it a restraint in a nonmobile patient? Would they say a crib is a restraint for a pediatric patient?

How is it a restraint in a nonmobile patient? Would they say a crib is a restraint for a pediatric patient?

From what I've been taught is residents technically have the right to leave, even the nonmobile ones. Go figure.

I'm curious about the pediatric pt in a crib also

+ Add a Comment