UT-Harris County Psychiatric Center

Nursing Procedures

Medical Equipment

Nursing

Harris County Psychiatric Center: Office Administration

Patients admitted with their own medical equipment are assessed by a Registered Nurse to determine whether the patient knows how to safely use the equipment. If patient education is required, the RN provides basic instruction

wheelchairs, walkers, braces, crutches, canes, glucometers, oxygen tanks

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Introduction	Date of Last Review: 5/19/08 SME: Associate Director of Nursing Nursing provides medical equipment for patient use as appropriate.
Definition	Medical equipment is defined as follows: · Wheelchairs · Walkers · Glucometers (evaluated on a case-by-case basis) · O2 tanks (evaluated on a case-by-case basis)
Assessment	Patients admitted with their own medical equipment are assessed by a Registered Nurse to determine whether the patient knows how to safely use the equipment. If patient education is required, the RN provides basic instruction (see Initial Nursing Assessment, Nursing Progress Notes/Flowsheet.
Use of medical equipment	A physician’s order may be required for use of all medical equipment.
Medical referrals	Nursing staff notifies the physician if patient education requires special knowledge/skills so that appropriate medical referrals (i.e. O.T, P.T.) may be sought.
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