Spotlight on Prevention: Best Practices for Body Checks
www.justicecenter.ny.gov
ANSWER KEY COULD THIS HAPPEN IN YOUR PROGRAM?
Case #1
Case Concerns
• Relief staff did not review the communication log and did not know about Mary’s history of falls. • Staff did not complete a body check after Mary’s fall, document the fall, or alert nursing. • Staff did not ask Mary if she was hurt. Although Mary is primarily non-verbal, she may have been able to indicate if she felt any pain or point to a body part that hurt. • Staff did not treat Mary with respect when they teased her about the fall. • There were no other body checks documented for Mary in the days following her fall so staff were not aware of the bruise on her knee.
Case #2
Case Concerns
• Staff did not demonstrate sensitivity to Alyssa’s apprehension about the body check which led to an increase in Alyssa’sagitation and her needing a PRN medication. • Staff did not attempt to contact the nurse to come see Alyssa or reassure her that her privacy and dignity would be respected during the body check process. • Staff were not trained on what to do when a person receiving services refuses a body check.
Case #3
Case Concerns
• Staff did not complete and document body checks as required by the plan of care. • The body check forms that were completed were either incomplete or the staff’s handwriting was hard to read. • The body check forms were not routinely reviewed by a manager or a nurse so missing, incomplete, or illegible documentation could not be addressed in a timely manner. • The body check forms were not routinely reviewed to identify trends, concerns, or systemic issues.
19
Made with FlippingBook - PDF hosting