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UNIVERSITY OF MD UPPER CHESAPEAKE MEDICAL CENTER
PATIENT RIGHTS: PERSONAL PRIVACY
Tag No.: A0143
Based on observations of care of the ED 2/15/2017, it was determined that the hospital had no definitive way to inform patients that they were under constant video observation.
Observation in the ED identified that two behavioral health beds with video monitoring which feed into the nursing stations monitors. Interview with ED manager at 10:00 AM revealed that patients were notified verbally of the video monitoring, but staff does not document this in the chart. No other method of informing the patients of continuous monitoring such as signage was found. The hospital's method of verbally informing patients, that they would be under surveillance, does not take into account variations in mental status, or cognition that may be present in behavioral health patients.