How Do I File A Complaint Mom In Wrist Restraints Hospital Staff Does Not Release Every Two Hours?
Today at the hospital I sat in my moms hospital room a full 8 hours not once did the staff come in released her from the wrist restraints and exercised her arms at least every two hours. After about 4 hours I released her from them since the restraints seem to serve more as a convenience for the staff; after about 15 minutes my mom was at peace and was not trying to jump out of bed in fact she was laying very still and the nurse blew up and demanded the restraints had to be back in use even though there was no reason too as I told him I am there and I am watching her and then the nurse tied the restraints back up and said it was the law. The nurse nor staff do not come in every two hours and comply with the law to release her and offer to exercise the tied up hands like they are suppose to and I want to file a complaint and who do I contact to do this. FYI yes I am smart enough to know if she starts acting out when to put back on the restraints. It seems they like to use the laws to their advantage and ignore the laws they are suppose to follow regarding checking to see if the patient is wet or had a BM every 2 hours. I had to change my mom twice, nobody seemed very interested in that apect of things and the nurse seemed to want ram the physical restraints down my throat and I am very mad and upset. Who can help me out here. We live in TN..She is in Vanberbilt Medical Center.. Or may I file a complaint with the State Of TN ?
The staff is not following handwashing policy either. They do not wash their hands before treatment and after traetment. The nurse handeled her medications with his bare hands he did not wash his hands before touching the meds nor did he wash them afterwards he never did wear gloves at any time and we do not when he wash his hands last or what other patient he had been with, this seems like they are not following handwashing proper policy either.. I do not have power of Attorney so they just blew me off
Tags: Complaint, Does, Every, File, Hospital..., Hours, Release, Restraints, Staff, Wrist
December 4th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
You do not need Power of Attorney to be taken seriously and voice your valid concerns! Please know this and don’t let anyone tell you different.
You have many valid compalints. Please write them all down so that you do not forget, and write down name if you can possibly remember. Don’t worry if you can’t remember names thought, if you are able to remember dates and times, that will be sufficient.
When a patient is in restraints, it is MANDATED BY LAW that the nursing and medical staff re-evaluate every two hours whether the patient even needs to continue the restraints. The staff should not just be exercising her extremities and checking if she voided every two hours, they also need ot be checking if she even still needs the restraints! If so, this needs to be documented in the notes! If there is a competent person (you) sitting with the patient (who is not in immediated danger to herself) then there is NO NEED for the restraints!
This is just outrageous!!! You have every right to make a complaint! Please do. Not just for your mom, but for every one who does not have the voice to advocate for themself who is getting substandard care!
I am not sure exactly the structure of Vanderbilt, but in general…first ask to speak with the nursing supervisor. Voice your complaints. If you do not feel you are taken seriously, then you need to go up the chain of administration. Vanderbilt is an exceptional facility that should not stand for this! Keep complaining until you are satisfied! If the nursing supervisor is not receptive, ask if there is a patient advocate you can speak with. If you need to, ask for an “ethics consult”.
You have EVERY RIGHT to be upset and to be advocating for your mom. It DOES NOT MATTER if you have power of attorney or not! Do not let anyone tell you this! This issue has nothing to do with routine medical decisions, it has everything to do with what is standard quality care!!!
You have a duty to your mom and to everyone else that is getting this treatment! Be strong!
(Re: handwashing, etc. Voice these issues also in your complaints, but also you should write a letter to administration. Vice-president of nursing or heck…go straight to the hospital president. Do not stand to be ignored!)
December 4th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
this is very bad. there should be a hospital directory at the front desk with the hospital administrators phone number and contact information. you are very right in everything you said. when i took just my cna course, the very first thing they test you on is hand washing, if you dont pass hand washing, you fail the entire exam. hand washing is extremely serious. you go to the front desk and find out who is in charge of the section and station of the hospital, you demand you have lawyers on standby with a malpractice suit in action. good for you for not letting them walk all over you. you have every right to ask them about their actions, if they get put on the spot, they will realize you know what proper care is by law. depending upon the situation, restraints should be removed, and ROM (range of motion) exercises need to be performed, and if the patient is bedridden, by law they have to be turned every 2 hours to prevent decubitous ulcers (bed sores). you need to get the hospital administrators name and number, even go to the charge nurses desk and demand this information. they are obligated by law to give you this information, power of attorney or not. you are the daughter, you have just as much right as she does in deciding proper care for her if her husband is not alive.
December 7th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
My only disagreement with the previous posts are the suggestions that you write a letter. You need to march in and demand to speak with the top. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the nurse manager or nursing supervisor, you must contact the Administrator on-call — they cannot deny this to you as it is a right of all patients in accordance with the Joint Commission. Be certain to get the numbers for CMS and Joint Commission from the administrator, because by law they must provide you with all contact information for the reporting agencies that they adhere to. The law is not on their side, it is on the patient’s side. This is horrible! Don’t let it go!