My mother-in-law (Liz) is 85 and in the middle stages of Vascular Dementia. She lives in a local council-run care home. This week a nurse visited the home to take some blood samples from her, and in the process of taking the samples, Liz recoiled her hand as the needle entered resulting in large scratch and bruising to her hand. Naturally there was considerable pain, but the nurse persevered until she got the samples she needed.
My wife is very concerned about this treatment of her mother, so she spoke to the acting manager at the care home to suggest that in similar future situations one of the care home staff should hold her mum's hand whilst the blood sample is being taken.
The acting manager said that wouldn't be possible as they are not allowed to do this as it would be classified as restraint. So, it's OK that Liz can be injured through her natural instinct to remove her hand from the site of pain, but the care staff can't do anything physical to prevent such an injury because it's against her human rights to be restrained?
This is completely bonkers. We're not asking for restraint but just a firm hold of the hand to prevent her from injuring herself (or even injuring the nurse with a needle stick injury).
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? In the meantime, if we are informed that Liz will be having more bloods taken, one of the family will attend to hold her hand and re-assure her.
My wife is very concerned about this treatment of her mother, so she spoke to the acting manager at the care home to suggest that in similar future situations one of the care home staff should hold her mum's hand whilst the blood sample is being taken.
The acting manager said that wouldn't be possible as they are not allowed to do this as it would be classified as restraint. So, it's OK that Liz can be injured through her natural instinct to remove her hand from the site of pain, but the care staff can't do anything physical to prevent such an injury because it's against her human rights to be restrained?
This is completely bonkers. We're not asking for restraint but just a firm hold of the hand to prevent her from injuring herself (or even injuring the nurse with a needle stick injury).
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? In the meantime, if we are informed that Liz will be having more bloods taken, one of the family will attend to hold her hand and re-assure her.