[PC-BH-Integration] patient seclusion

[Emily Neufeld]

I am looking for suggestions or solutions related to patient seclusion....

During our last JCAHO visit, the surveyors criticized us for not having adequate verification that patients in seclusion were continuously monitored.  We were using a log for each incident that included the signature of the staff person who continuously monitored the patient.  The surveyors argued that this would be too easy to falsify.  We have installed buttons on the outside of the seclusion rooms that staff press while monitoring patients (which produce a computer printout) as evidence of the monitoring. 

Our issue is how to verify that the patient is monitored after the first hour.  JCAHO allows video observation beginning in the second hour of seclusion, but we need some system in our nursing station to verify that the person is watching the monitor.

I am very interested in hearing more about how other organizations are dealing with this or similar issues, and also successful seclusion/restraint reduction practices.

Thanks.
Emily Neufeld
Director of Quality Assurance
Madison Center
403 E. Madison St.
South Bend, IN  46617
574/283-1295
fax 574/288-5047
emily at madison.org
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