RE: ID Bracelets

[Holly McGran]

Your privacy officer is absolutely wrong. HIPAA does not prohibit the use or disclosure of PHI for treatment and facility functioning - the use of ID bracelets come under both.  Holly McGran MSN RN  From: Holly Sox, RN, RAC-C [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 11:21 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: ID Bracelets That's exactly how I feel about them, as do the rest of our nursing admin.  The primary "sticking point" is our BOM who is also the HIPAA compliance officer. She keeps insisting that bracelets are a privacy and dignity issue. I just cannot see how it can be either, particularly when weighed against the potential for errors based on mistaken identifications.   Thanks, everyone,  for the input. I'll probably write a policy this weekend and get them in place within the next week or so.   HS Holly F. Sox, RN, RAC-C  Clinical Editor, Careplans.com www.careplans.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: nursejane To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 9:24 PM Subject: Re: ID Bracelets Holly, the big problem I see with pictures only is that not all residents continue to look like their picture. Some change quickly, others not so. The ID bracelet, if you can get the resident to wear it, is still the best bet. We have a few residents that won't wear a bracelet, but they will wear a name tag like the staff wear. It works for them so we order them one. Also, if a confused resident did manage to escape, an ID bracelet would alert someone who may come upon them that they belong somewhere... May get them home quicker. We had a lady wandering in our parking lot.  When a couple of our staff members went to ask if they could help her they saw her ID from the facility down the street and returned her.   Our bracelets are discreet and smooth tubular plastic that doesn't scratch the skin. With the large turnover in nurses and staff I would want a form of ID that prevents making mistakes at med pass, meal time or any other time.   Jane    ----- Original Message ----- From: Holly Sox, RN, RAC-C To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 2:20 PM Subject: ID Bracelets Hi everyone! We are having an issue here at the facility regarding the potential implementation of using ID bracelets on our residents.  We have been in the practice of taking a photograph and placing it along with the MAR to provide identification.  No ID bracelets had been used for several years.   There are 2 schools of thought regarding this issue: nursing feels that the bracelets are needed to provide a better way of identifying residents for med administration.  Other departments feel that it is a dignity and privacy issue.  The bracelets are not huge hospital type bracelets, and can only be viewed by someone providing care.   Does anyone have thoughts about this?  Policy/procedure to share?    Please send to me at 803-276-2602 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]   Holly F. Sox, RN, RAC-C Clinical Editor   www.careplans.com   [EMAIL PROTECTED]