visitor policy vs alien invasion

Medic946RN · Jan 16, 2004

Last couple of days we've enforced our 1 visitor policy vigorously and it's paying off. You could actually get to the patient with out having to say a half dozen "excuse me, pardon me's". People are catching on, some still have "I have a right to be here" attitude but strictly speaking, the hospital is private property, EMTALA and other Federal laws apply to patients not family members. We don't have to let anyone back there but the patient. Last weekend we had a family member who wouldn't stay with her husband and was literally poking her head into every room to sight see, even after the policy and HiPAA conflicts were explained to her. She told the Charge Nurse "I gotta right to look wherever I want". Charge RN called security and she was "outta there!"

Now of course this isn't friendly but I've found some people understand and cooperate with the policy if you explain it to them. The rude ones aren't going to listen no matter what you do. So boot 'em if you got 'em.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2004

I fully understand

MAGIK GIRL · Jan 18, 2004

thank goodness for that wonderful little hippa law. now we have a legal right to fight for our patients privacy!

i realize that some family members are just trying to help but...

when you have a 21 year old male whose mother refuses to leave the triage room so you can ask those hot topic questions, and later refuses to leave the pts room so he can change into a gown.... a little annoying, don't ya think? :chuckle

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2004

Received from ER, one 18 year old frat boy with mother and girlfriend in tow. Admitting diagnosis was chest pain. Mother (who is a nurse) totally freaking out as husband (and Father of pt) died of AMI at 49 years old. The patient has already been put through literally thousands of dollars worth of tests to make sure that he will not drop dead like Dad. No pathology found. Then sent to the floor.

After we literally drag Mom and girlfriend out and send them home, we talk more with patient. He asks then, "Can cocaine use cause chest pain?"......uh, yes, whyever do you ask?...well, "I keep getting chest pain whenever I use it - it won't hurt me will it?"

There are no words.

MAGIK GIRL · Jan 18, 2004

Originally posted by caroladybelle
Received from ER, one 18 year old frat boy with mother and girlfriend in tow.... "I keep getting chest pain whenever I use it - it won't hurt me will it?"

There are no words.

um.. yes there are words for the pts like that....

"duh!! you're an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!":D

if only we could............. :devil:

fab4fan · Jan 18, 2004

After we literally drag Mom and girlfriend out and send them home, we talk more with patient. He asks then, "Can cocaine use cause chest pain?"......uh, yes, whyever do you ask?...well, "I keep getting chest pain whenever I use it - it won't hurt me will it?"

Doh!

MAGIK GIRL · Jan 20, 2004

Originally posted by fab4fan
Doh!

fab! i am glad to see you back. i have to say, it was kinda fun agreeing to disagree with you. md terminator too. well, i guess he will be alittle busy for a while! (a good busy though!)

mercRN · Jan 20, 2004

We have 2 visitors per pt. When we had the bad flu outbreak in Dec we had everyone who walked through the door put on a mask if they had flu sx's. We are not real strick on the 2 visitors unless they are in our way. I was very thrilled with all of the responses to get family out of the room to do secondaries and ask the pt personal questions. I will have to remember that for future reference.

elkpark · Jan 20, 2004

Medic946RN (and everyone else) -- I hear ya! BUT, in my state there are _state_ statutes which do state that patients have a _right_ to have visitors and specifies what kind of limits can be put on that right. It may be the case that your state does, also.

While the CMS Patient Rights COP does not address visitation, the COPs do require that the hospital be in compliance with all applicable state rules and regs ...

In my job as a state surveyor (inspector), we do not routinely go looking for violations of visitation rights on surveys, but, if someone complains to us that they weren't allowed to have visitors or that visitation was restricted in some way that didn't make sense to them, we investigate. If the hospital failed to follow the state statutes, they get cited for that.

elkpark · Jan 20, 2004

Of course, I'm talking about visitation in general, and not about clearing a room to interview a patient in private for assessment purposes or provide some sort of treatment/care!

MAGIK GIRL · Jan 21, 2004

Originally posted by elkpark
Medic946RN (and everyone else) -- I hear ya! BUT, in my state there are _state_ statutes which do state that patients have a _right_ to have visitors and specifies what kind of limits can be put on that right. It may be the case that your state does, also.

While the CMS Patient Rights COP does not address visitation, the COPs do require that the hospital be in compliance with all applicable state rules and regs ...

In my job as a state surveyor (inspector), we do not routinely go looking for violations of visitation rights on survey!!s, but, if someone complains to us that they weren't allowed to have visitors or that visitation was restricted in some way that didn't make sense to them, we investigate. If the hospital failed to follow the state statutes, they get cited for that.

oooo!! yuck! that stinks! alot of patients just like to complain. well, here is just one more thing to add to the list: "the nurse didn't let my boyfriends mother's neighbors cousin's boyfriend stay during my pelvic!!":roll

no offence to elkpark intended. everyone has a job to do! we appreciate yours!