RE: Care plan issue - Falls

[Deb Morell]

For one thing if you alter the equipment and someone gets injured the facility will be liable.  I am talking about the legal liabilities involved, not the restraint issue. Also we have a safety officer at our facility and he has told us numerous times it is not legal to alter equipment. Deb   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brenda Chance Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 10:22 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Care plan issue - Falls   Why is it not “legal” to alter equipment? If you get therapy involved and do modifications and show that it is for the safety of the resident and will not cause harm, then it is okay.    I think the “legal” thing you are talking about is that restraints must be applied per the manufacter’s recommendation.    Brenda W. Chance, RN, RAC-C MDS Coordinator     CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. -----Original Message----- From: Deb Morell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 10:36 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Care plan issue - Falls   You should also talk to your  maintenance  or safety compliance officer, as it is usually not legal to alter equipment. Deb   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Faye Jones Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 8:39 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Care plan issue - Falls   Another point of view,  If you do fix the merry walker, since she is currently able to open it and can ambulate although unsafely, it then will meet the definition of a restraint.   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kathy Archibald Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 9:28 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Care plan issue - Falls   I would be careful restraining her by fixing merry walker so she can't open it.  we received an actual harm citation last year for a resident who continued to fall and we put him in a merry walker and he couldn't get out of it by himself. Kathy Archibald RN Living Center Supervisor FAX 1-208-547-2790 Voice 1-208-547-2771 email [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: Michelle Witges To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 7:59 AM Subject: Re: Care plan issue - Falls   I want her to ambulate but to do it safely.  As long as she is the Merry-Walker she does fine.  When she gets out of the Merry-Walker she falls.  She is able to open the Merry-Walker without difficulty she is even able to remove her personal alarm so that staff do not know that she is out of the Merry-Walker.  She works with restorative, frequent toileting, close observation, w/c with lap buddy.  We have not tried carpeting the bathroom but she uses other residents bathrooms as well.  Another thing we have not tried is fixing the Merry-Walker so she cannot open it.  How would you go about doing this?  We had maintenance checking into this but they have not figured anything out yet.  Her family is getting extremely upset with us because of her frequent falls not to mention the fact that we are upset also as we are out of idea's. Michelle ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 7:16 PM Subject: Re: Care plan issue - Falls   In a message dated 12/3/2003 1:50:20 PM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I have a lady who has had a CVA with paralysis on right side.  She is in a Merry Walker as she is very unsteady on her feet.  She also has a personal alarm on.  She is able to get around safely in the Merry Walker and the personal alarm is to notify if she tries to get up without assist.  Why is she in a Merri-walker if you don't want her to ambulate? PRIVACY NOTICE -5/12/2003- The information contained in this message is privileged and confidential information intended for the use of [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you are neither the intended recipient nor the employee or agent responsible for delivering this information to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or taking of any action in reliance on the content of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this information in error, would you be so kind as to notify us immediately by the telephone number provided below and immediately destroy or delete the information. Thank you. Telephone Number: 218-749-9408