[blindlaw] Hospital "fall risk" policies for blind/visually impaired patients

[wmodnl wmodnl]

Is this based on a real situation/current issue? I have often had the option to do either, and was given extra support if needed, etc. Heck, the nurses were mostly cute so, they could watch whatever they wanted! Seriously, maybe my situation was a bit different as an out-patient; but, it was not bad. They even offered to give discharge info in an alternative format. Since the computer program was not working, to email the info to me, they left me a voice male with the info I needed to follow.


Sent from my iPad

> On Apr 10, 2017, at 16:55, Andrew Webb via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> 
> 
> Has anyone here had experience addressing (from the legal standpoint) a
> hospital's policy requiring that a blind patient be automatically classified
> as a fall risk upon admission?  Client is legally blind, generally healthy,
> exercises vigorously, and has excellent travel and cane skills. Client was
> recently admitted to hospital for observation, and was required to wear a
> bright yellow bracelet labled "fall risk" throughout the stay. Client was
> forbidden from standing up from bed without a nurse present, and even
> required to have a nurse present in the bathroom when client went to
> relieve, etc. (Nurse was partitioned only by a hanging plastic sheet within
> the bathroom, in order to afford client some "privacy." Client describes the
> experience as similar to a dog relieving while being watched by the master.
> Client protested the policy throughout the stay, but nurss and hospital
> administrators were absolutely inflexible. There was no other basis
> (medications, other conditions, etc.) on which to classify client as a fall
> risk, and hospital cited no basis other than blindness for the
> classification.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have yet to dig into the case law, or visit the DOJ website in search of
> relevant consent decrees, etc.  Just wondered if anybody had any direct
> experience here, could offer any comments or relevant resources/authorities.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Andrew
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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