Hello, I'm new here and would appreciate your thoughts. My father has mid-stage Alzheimer's and he took a pair of scissors and cut his ear lobe. The nurses at his Assisted Living facility called me (while I was already on my way to visit) to say ambulance is on their way as he may need stitches. I said to the nurse, over the phone, that I am 5 minutes away and that I want to speak to paramedics first. She said they should still be here and to come. When I almost arrived at the residence, I saw the ambulance leaving. I was told there was no way to contact paramedics, and that he is now in their care. I was livid.
The reason I wanted to speak to the paramedics is because I wanted to avoid having my father go to hospital during the pandemic, and to discuss alternative solutions like taking him to a medical clinic to get stitches. To be clear, I wanted to ensure he would have proper medical care, without going to the hospital - which I believe is reasonable given covid-19 concerns. Do I have grounds for complaint because this was done without my consent and against my wishes? Is this legal? I am his daughter and POA, and my father and I are very close.
The consequences of my father having been in hospital mean that he will be isolated, not allowed visits from me or the private caregiver I hired for him, and quite frankly neglected by staff because even before this incident, nothing in his "care plan" was being done - with zero accountability or proper documentation. He has also reverted back to his native language so communication is an issue.
Sorry for the length, appreciate any advice you may have.
At that juncture the staff are risking everyone else in that center to possible blood Bourne pathogens *as well as* Covid 19.
To me it’s totally reasonable to have called 911 & if I were the nurse in charge (I am a RN) I too would have called EMS.
Staff and residents are on lockdown. We are in a pandemic. Those residents don’t need an additional exposure to blood + Covid 19 which is transmitted via droplet.
I’m happy it worked out for you but please don’t fault a licensed staff, whether RN or LPN, for calling 911 in this situation.
Please make sure he doesn’t have access to scissors anymore to prevent this from occurring again. He could stab himself in an artery/vein as they are pretty close to his earlobe.
”Normal has left the building” these days
What made me upset was not that 911 was called; it is that I wished to speak with paramedics beforehand (because no visitors are allowed in hospitals now) to understand the situation better for myself, and that I was in my car 5 minutes away, and the nurse said the paramedics would still be there when I arrived. Bleeding had stopped and my father was calm at that point. But when I arrived, I saw the ambulance leaving -- the nurse did not bother telling paramedics to wait a few minutes, and I was not given an opportunity to speak to paramedics or my father. My fear was that he would be exposed to the virus at the hospital.
Request that he not be sent to the hospital until ur called.
Reverting back to his native language is common.
At a minimum he needs to have all sharps removed from his room.
The AL may also be covering their backside as far as his ability to continue at this level of care.
Thank you all for your responses. Update: my father was immediately isolated in his own hospital room upon arriving at the ER, they stitched up his ear lobe and I was notified to pick him up and bring him back to his residence. He was given a form from the hospital saying that isolation precautions at his residence will not be necessary for him.
His residence does have certain policies in light of covid (especially for clients returning from hospital) but it was confirmed today that I and his private caregiver are still allowed to visit. At this time, there is no outbreak or known case of covid in his facility, and I understand (and deeply appreciate) their need to be careful.
Certainly, if it were cardiac arrest, a stroke, or some fatal incident I would not question emergency intervention. And if it wasn't for this pandemic I would not have been upset that he was brought to hospital. However, given the grave concerns for the elderly during this pandemic, I felt the nurses should have been more sensitive to the covid situation and used better discernment. Or at least asked me first.
I disinfected him completely, threw his clothes in the wash, and did the same when I came home. I will heed your good advice and make an arrangement with the facility to be called before he is brought to hospital if it is not life-threatening.
Wishing safety and good health to you and all your loved ones. Thanks again.
Any medical facility, including the one you wanted your father taken to, carries the risk of COVID-19. Also, I don’t understand about Dad being hospitalized for this and isolated. I think a few stitches and he would ha e been on his way.
I made a comfortable agreement when my LO entered her AL facility, that they would do a careful assessment of her on site when she fell, and notify me before she actually left for the hospital.
That has worked so far in our situation.
As others have stated, yes, they can send your LO to the hospital without your consent even with POA in place.
2 months ago I received a call from my Aunts ALF. They told me she had a rash on her face. I asked them to keep me posted if anything changed.
The next call I received was the ALF telling me they sent her by ambulance to the ER (yes for a rash)!
After my ire settled down, I realized that the facility had to cover their backside. Not that I completely approve, but better a resident go needlessly than not send the resident and risk a potential lawsuit. It stinks, but I get it now.