Handling Patients’ Belongings or Assistive Devices

Section 2 - EMERGENCY OPERATIONS

PURPOSE:

This guideline describes the process for tracking and documenting the handling of patients' belongings during emergency responses. Personnel are often required to handle personal items and property belonging to the patient while on emergency scenes. These items are transported along with the patient and delivered to the emergency department. This procedure outlines the specific process to transfer and document the disposition of these items.

PROCEDURE:

Handling of assistive devices or belongings:

• During responses personnel must make an attempt to have a family member or responsible person selected by the patient take custody of all personal belongings prior to transport.
• Essential assistive devices needed by the patient during transport or at the hospital may be carried with the patient.
• Personal items or assistive devices that are hazardous to the safety of the crew during transport by their nature, size or weight (for example; weapons of any type, wheelchairs, motorized devices, etc.) must be left in the custody of a family member, responsible person or the Law Enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the incident location.
• Whenever personal belongings are transported with the patient, these items must remain close to the patient as long as these items do not interfere with patient care activities.
• Upon arrival at the receiving facility and during the patient transfer report, the transported items will be turned over to the nurse taking over patient care. If the patient is alert, the person giving the patient care report will also verbally inform the patient that their personal belongings or assistive devices are being left in the custody of the nurse.

Documentation:

• Personnel must clearly document on the patient care report any personal belongings or assistive devices that were transported with the patient and their disposition upon arrival at the receiving facility. The documentation must include the following:
• Specific items: (for example; one purse, one cane, one set of dentures, one set of hearing aids etc.): valuables by description (for example; one silver colored wrist watch; one gold colored chain; five dollars in currency). Avoid entering in the description items such as gold diamond ring, instead describe the item as a gold colored ring with a clear stone. Who took responsibility for the items (for example: Items given to Nancy Nurse, RN at 1710 hrs.
• Patient Medications: If the patient is taking more than ten (10) medications and there are no family members to bring the medications to the hospital, take the actual bottles to the ED with the patient in a plastic bag and if possible pin to the patient clothing with a safety pin. Upon arrival at the hospital, attach a computer generated patient sticker to the bag. If there is less than ten medications make sure the name (spelled correctly), strength and dosage are documented on the PCR. (Medical Director Directive)
• Patient personal belongings (Wallets, purse, keys, glasses etc.) should be the patient’s decision to hold or leave with someone on scene. If the patient is unconscious and no family on scene, all belongings of value will be turned over to PD on scene and documented on the PCR. If no PD available, bag all items as listed in above in a plastic bag and attach a computer generated patient sticker to the bag. Document the personal items and the ED nurse which the items were turned over to on the PCR.).

Definitions:

• Personal belongings: Those items not needed to complete the activities of daily living. These include but are not limited to: Patient medications, purse, wallet, portable phones, pager, credit card, money currency, clothing, briefcases, back packs, watches, jewelry and electronic devices such as laptop computers, personal data assistant, etc.
• Assistive Devices: Those items needed to perform activities of daily living. These items include but are not limited to: prescription glasses, contact lenses, dentures, hearing aids, braces, orthopedic or prosthetic devices, canes, walkers, etc.