Weigh in on an ethics debate

[lilybug]

You work at a major hospital in an urban area. If a homeless person was sleeping in an otherwise empty and seldom used waiting room, would you call security to kick them out?

Hospital policy says yes. Some bleeding hearts tonight say no. 

For the record, the elderly couple in there tonight are very quiet and clean; they're not drinking, doing drugs, or asking for water/snacks/phone calls, etc. When confronted, they lied and said they are waiting for a loved one having surgery.

[kcr1972]

When my ex was in icu here ,security patroled the waiting rooms hourly looking for homeless people sleeping but that is because a woman was attacked and brutally raped by a homeless man in the public womens restroom a few yrs ago. But no I wouldnt.

[gretchenindisguise]

Elderly couple under those circumstances? No.

And I'd get a social worker over to talk with them in the morning so they had a place to stay tomorrow night.

[flamingeaux]

I'd probably try to help them find other arrangements, as I would assume that if either of them sustained an injury on hospital property, the hospital could be held liable. If I could afford it I'd probably put them in a cab and a motel room for the night, and get them in touch with a social worker in the morning.

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[lilybug]

Oct 23, 2014 5:16:12 GMT -5 flamingeaux said:

I'd probably try to help them find other arrangements, as I would assume that if either of them sustained an injury on hospital property, the hospital could be held liable. If I could afford it I'd probably put them in a cab and a motel room for the night, and get them in touch with a social worker in the morning. 

This is super nice, but we live in an area with a large homeless population and finding people sleeping in waiting rooms happens pretty often. I would be broke if I paid everyone's cab fare and $70+ motel room (because even the seedy ones are not cheap in this area.)

I will see how much our social workers are willing to get involved with a non-patient. At the least, maybe they could leave us a list of options for this kind of situation.

[Deleted]

Tough call. I know in boston there are very few resources for homeless elders. Shelters are unsafe for them and sometimes don't allow their medical equipment and meds.

We do have a homeless elder non profit in Boston though that I work with regularly. Maybe there is something like that in your area?

[lilybug]

Oct 23, 2014 5:34:38 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

Tough call. I know in boston there are very few resources for homeless elders. Shelters are unsafe for them and sometimes don't allow their medical equipment and meds.

We do have a homeless elder non profit in Boston though that I work with regularly. Maybe there is something like that in your area?

I will have to look into this. I seriously do not have the space in my brain for a pet project right now, but goddamnit they were so cute and polite and probably somebody's grandparents.   I was rooting to let them sleep, but I was overruled. The sight of them walking down the hall, heads hanging, to go sleep outside... not one I'll soon forget.

[Deleted]

I'm a bleeding heart liberal and I personally wouldn't have called security but I don't fault someone for doing so or for the hospital's policy.

I also don't think it should be the responsibility of the hospital social workers to be asked to take care of them either, as they already have enough hospital patients on their case load.

If I saw the couple and had information about a nearby homeless shelter I'd let them use my phone to call to get information.

Homelessness is such a large problem here and it is definitely heart breaking.

[trident0]

I would probably call security. Where do you draw the line on who is "nice" and allowed to stay and who isn't? Definitely a tough situation.

[lostlenore]

Oct 23, 2014 5:46:06 GMT -5 lilybug said:

Oct 23, 2014 5:34:38 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

Tough call. I know in boston there are very few resources for homeless elders. Shelters are unsafe for them and sometimes don't allow their medical equipment and meds.

We do have a homeless elder non profit in Boston though that I work with regularly. Maybe there is something like that in your area?

I will have to look into this. I seriously do not have the space in my brain for a pet project right now, but goddamnit they were so cute and polite and probably somebody's grandparents.   I was rooting to let them sleep, but I was overruled. The sight of them walking down the hall, heads hanging, to go sleep outside... not one I'll soon forget.

That just breaks my heart!

[MWOS]

I didn't even know they were in there

[luckyval]

I'd let them stay and start making some phone calls to help them find something more substantial. That makes my heart hurt for them.

[jlt19]

I'd probably have fought to let them stay too. How heartbreaking, I'm sorry you had to witness that.

[sapphireblue]

I would let them stay.

[5hole]

This makes me so sad that hospital social workers don't even have the right resources to help (not their fault, they're overworked and overwhelmed too). If a social worker can't identify the right resources/support, how the hell is an elderly homeless couple supposed to navigate the system?

[dirtyred]

How do you know they're homeless?