Ridgeview Medical Center
July 1, 1998
Ridgeview Medical Center
SUBJECT
Staff Safety with Firearms in the Patient Environment
Ridgeview Home Care Services is committed to assessing and maintaining a safe environment for employees to provide services. Ridgeview Home Care Services employees may encounter situations in a patient's home where firearms are sitting out and uncontained. This includes firearms such as black powder and air guns.
POLICY
Ridgeview Home Care Services staff will not remain in a patient's home where the home environment is not safe due to uncontained and unsafe storage of firearms and/or weapons.
PROCEDURE
1. The RN upon assessment identifies a safety issue of firearms stored uncontained in the patient's home.
2. Patients' homes that are known to have firearms that are not kept locked but contained or stored with ammunition are to be identified as a potential staff hazard with the code D.
3. The RN explains to the patient and/or family that an RHCS employee cannot remain in a home where firearms or ammunition are sitting out, uncontained.
4. A report that firearms are not contained could be a criterion for termination of services.
5. The RHCS employee requests the firearm and/or ammunition to be contained in a cabinet, drawer, or closet.
6. RHCS employees will not assist patients with moving or storage of firearms or ammunition in the patient's home.
7. RHCS employees will report to their supervisor all situations where households have firearms stored unlocked and/or loaded in order to identify potential staff risk.
Source: Ridgeview Home Care Services, Waconia, MN.
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