TN ICF MR/DD RULES & REG's HELP

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I am working in a ICF MR/DD home in the community. The house is set up to house 4 clients with 24 hr nursing care and so far we have 2 clients and 2 on the way. I have a few questions about the companies staffing of the house and a few other things, but one at a time. So both clients we have at the house are listed as 1:1 staffing and 2+ person lifting manual and hoyer. Today, like most other Sundays I was all alone, no other nurses, no direct care staff, no nothing. I am required to take my clients to church, but they are both wheel chair bound meaning that I have to load them up in the van and hope there is someone to help me. However, I was told by my supervisors that no one not employed by the company I work for can push a client, figure that one out. Can they do this to me legally? Can someone give me some insight on where I can find information on this so I can maybe get this cleared up without going to the boards. I love my girls and this is a right to work state, I don't want to lose my job because I didn't view all of my options before I turn them in. This is just ridiculous, I'm only 30, my back is killing me, I already have bad knees and all of this lifting the clients alone is making it all worse. None of the nurses that are working there really know what to do about all of this, no one is quite sure what we can do. Someone please help us so we can make sure our girls are getting the best care possible. :crying2:

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Right to work state has nothing to do with it. If it requires 2 people to safely load them into the bus, then that is the number 1 thing to remember here. What if something slips and the client gets hurt? Number 2 thing is you are young. DO NOT hurt your back for any job at any age. A hurt back can affect you for your lifetime. Tell your supervisor you need help or they need to find some other means to get them to church. If they refuse to listen, then find a new job and report, or they will just do to the next person after you. I know thats not what you want, but getting a hurt back is not what anyone wants. Please consider your life and familys as it will affect them as well. Wish you the best of luck!

I would say OSHA might be a good google point. It is basically all the safety rules and probably who you would report it to, maybe, so look up OSHA.

After a quick google search I found this. Don't have time to read it all, but may help.

http://www.osha.gov/ergonomics/guidelines/nursinghome/draft/index.html

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Specializes in Correctional, QA, Geriatrics.

I work in this field in a different state so the details and specifics may not align between the two areas. However one of the constants is maintaining the ratios of staff to client. In my state a deviation from that ratio is grounds for an investigation and, if found to be true, financial repercussions usually occur. No business likes an interruption in funding.

Those ratios are in place to provide a safe environment for the clients. As previously posted if something happens to them during a transfer or you have a medical emergency an in-house inquiry would show that the appropriate staff to client ratio was not being abided by at the time. You would be held accountable to some extent if there is not a clear paper trail showing you have notified the appropriate supervisor, etc.

Bottom line: in this field you have to make some ruckus sometimes and run the risk of ticking someone off in order to do the ethical, professionally appropriate duty to your clients. Believe me I have made more than 1 supervisor very unhappy with me when I would not comply with their instructions to violate standards. However I have not been terminated for taking my stands because I researched and knew the regs in question. In addition you will not be doing yourself any favors hurting yourself in order to be a "good little company gal". They most likely would not honor a workers comp claim for an injury sustained while doing a lift or a transfer if you did it solo and the plan of care/individual service plan specifies a two person lift.

If all else fails and you do not get an appropriate response from your supervisors and the home continues to be staffed inappropriately report them to the state regulatory agency that monitors the program. Every state has a toll free number for complaints and usually one can report the complaint anonymously.

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Not to scare you more, but lawyers specialize in this exact subject. Maybe can get you thinking about your own liability and your place of employments.

http://www.carlbrownlaw.com/Practice-Area-Overview/Transportation-of-Disabled-Persons.shtml

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