Code Green Procedure

Date of Last Review 2-17-2012

SME: Chief Nurse Officer

Purpose

To define hospital practice during an attempted elopement of a patient.

Policy

  1. The person first identifying an attempted elopement notifies switchboard and states
    “Code Green in Progress”.

1.1 The caller is to give the following information to the switchboard operator:

    a. Patient gender ('M' for male or 'F' for Female)

    b. Description of the patient (clothing, height, approx. weight, etc)

    c. Location, if known (i.e., hospital grounds, 1st floor hallway, lobby etc)

2. Switchboard operator pages "Code Green (M) or Code Green (F)" and location on the overhead three times.

3. All entry into and out of building will be blocked with the announcement of "Code Green". Patients who are out on fresh air breaks remain outside.

4. Hospital staff should report any sighting of patients attempting elopement to Security.

5. All persons in the lobby will be informed that, due to security reasons, entries and exits will be closed until the Code Green is cleared.

6. Unit staff will conduct a count of patients. (This applies to patients being escorted, as well as patients on units, at the time Code Green is called).

7. Staff and Security/UT police will follow their established protocol to search for the patient.

8. Code Green is 'cleared' when the patient location is identified and/or it is determined that exit from building has already occurred.

9. The clinician assigned to the patient will notify the Manager/Director and complete a Patient Care Variance Report before the end of the shift.

     

     

  1. The caller will then report the elopement attempt to the nursing manager/supervisor on duty.
  2. The switchboard operator will page "Code Green (M) or Code Green (F)" and the location.
  3. All entry into and out of the building will be blocked when a "Code Green" is called.
  4. Unit staff will take an account of all patients (including those being escorted) at the time a Code Green is called.
  5. Staff and Security/UT police follow protocol to search for patient.
  6. The Code Green is 'cleared' when the patient is located and/or it is determined that he/she has already exited the facility campus.

 
 
 

 

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