signs for curtains/doors

Christine Roberts 11/03/19 Dignity Champions forum

Hi we discussed having door signs during personal care, some off us purchased some signs like they have in hotel rooms that hang on door handles, some have made there own for the back of the doors. On some of the rooms we now have touch lights that can be purchased quite cheaply, these indicate when on for No Entry. hope these ideas help. Chris Roberts

Post a reply

jayne Garrity 22/03/19

I think this is a exelent idea

Kelly Flaherty 04/04/19

Hi Chris where did you purchase the lights from please

Christine Roberts 04/04/19

Hi our flats had them from places like B&M, Wilco's, they are just the touch lights that you would buy for children some have sticky pads to put them on the walls, some off ours hang from a nail or screw. But they are really good. glad you like our idea. I also think B&Q and places like that sell them.

Jan Burns Moderator 05/04/19

Great idea Christine thanks for sharing.

Paul Astley 06/04/19

Im not a fan of lights above doors. Its clinical and to me just doesn't seem very personalised to the wishes of the person who lives in that room. I think its only slightly better to have signs personalised to residents wishes on their doors. Unless of course the person who lives in that room specifically wants a sign on their door. The reason I say its only slightly better is as follows... In a house and home which truly respects the dignity and wishes of the people who live there, there should be absolutely no need whatsoever to have any lights or signs on doors. What happened to good old fashioned courtesy of knocking the door, asking the person who lives in the room whether or not its ok for you to go into their room, waiting for an answer, and then if they say you can enter the room, going in? I think Id be mortified if someone just burst into my bedroom at home without knocking. Or into the bathroom whilst Im on the loo or having a shower, and I wouldnt dream of doing the same to the other members of my household. In our house we have a "knock and wait" policy and we dont have any signs or lights above doors. We just use plain old fashioned respect and common courtesy and I dont see why that shouldnt be the case in a care setting where people have set up home and live their lives. The same goes for hospitals and curtains around beds. Medical training does not mean we have the right to override the dignity and rights of the patient behind the curtain. Again no signs or lights should be required. The curtain is there to signify the patients privacy and personal space and it is theirs to control in terms of who comes into that space and who does not. Even the highest possible medical qualifications do not give us the right to take away someone's ultimate right to privacy. The exchange of a door for a curtain changes nothing. No signs are required. No lights needed. Just respect and common courtesy should be enough.