This law/policy forces my mother w/Alzheimer's and recent hip fracture, to sleep on narrow bed without bed rails, at a post-op facility. She has a history of falling, and hallucinates at night making that the most dangerous time. I offered to sign a waiver, or to stay the night at the facility to guard her, but was denied.
I understand restraints were over used in the past, and they are dangerous to some people, but our situation was an obvious, more danger without the bed rails(allowed in hospitals). I want to advocate for patients Right to Not Fall.
My Mom was in a nursing Home. Physical restraints or anything that remotely physically restrained the patient were not allowed by State Law.
Bed rails were not allowed either. I don’t remember if that was State Law or the Nursing Home rules. There was a fear the patient would get themselves stuck in the bed rails or try to go over the bed rail. I only remember it was not an option.
As Barb mentioned above, my Mom was placed in a floor level bed. The frame was constructed out of PVC pipe. There were crash mats placed around her bed. Bed alarms were used along with an alarm cushion in her wheelchair. The alarms just sounded Mom was out of place and “on the move”.
What is a post op facility? If it’s rehab then unfortunately bedrails are not allowed. Silly silly rule.
It wasn't easy keep my elderly Mom in bed when she was in long-term-care. She had forgotten how to walk or even stand. Thus the bed was lowered, rubber mats on both sides of her bed, and pillows tucked all around her.... being the bed was so darn narrow, Mom wasn't able to turn herself over :(
I agree that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction - there has to be a middle ground on this situation that allows for safety to be considered.
After a huge fall out of bed and horrible bruise, the “solutions” she now has a very wide bed, they lower the bed to the floor, rubber mats both sides, move all furniture away from where she could hit it, pad sharp corners of the AC unit and is on 15 minute bed checks. They pack pillows around her at night and raise her mattress foot and head a little to make a little well, but these 2 tricks are under the radar and not documented, since even those are considered restraints, by the brain trusts. She still manages to roll out of bed somehow, but hasn’t been seriously injured since then.
But. Although I have not researched the records methodically, I have noticed that in many of the incidents I have seen reported the problem was not the bed rail itself, the problem was *misuse* of the bedrail through lack of training, lack of attention to specifications, lack of time to do it properly. So that staff were not locking the rail in place, and it slipped on being leaned on; or a facility ordered rails which did not match the beds to which they were fitted, leaving a gap just large enough for people's heads to get stuck in; or an aide was called away urgently and didn't notice a trapped arm. That kind of thing. These are "never" events, they should never happen. But, very rarely though still sadly, they do.
Well. One way of making sure that bedrails are never misused is to ban them. The great benefit of this approach is that you cannot be sued for negligence, and at the same time you can claim the moral high ground as a defender of elders' rights to liberty. Neat, isn't it?
But I do not myself know of anyone whose loved one is a falls risk who is not driven to apoplexy by this issue.
Every resident
“who is being considered for restraints
has the right to be fully informed about the procedures and the
consequences of receiving or refusing them.”
In other words...
You have the right to get information about restraints. A restraint is
anything that limits your movement. Some examples of restraints are:
medication or drugs, wheelchairs with lap belts, mittens — so you do not scratch yourself, and bed rails — so you do not fall out of bed.
Restraints should not hurt you or make you uncomfortable.
Sometimes you may need a restraint for your safety.
Your doctor has to tell you if he or she is planning to use a restraint
on you. Your doctor must explain the steps. You must be told
what will happen to you if you agree to the restraint and what will
happen if you do not.
If you are competent, no one can make you use a restraint if you do not agree. You may want a friend, family member, or advocate to help you decide.
At horrific places like PENHURST it is unbeleivable the abuse and neglect that went on in Penhurst its haunting , because of Bad things in the past that have happened in Nursing homes and Insain Asylums we can not use restraints in most situations ...its sad but has to be this way ...we had FLOOR BEDS with very THICK floor mats on eaither side also half rails with velcro pads wrapped around them so arms and legs are safe .the tall reclineing wheelchairs are good because they lean backwards ,,but thats not enough sometimes ...familys would hire private caregivers to sit with loved ones...if the falling was just ongoing..good luck to you!!