Body Checks

 

a. Associated with Restraints and altercations

A body check of the student is to be conducted by the nurse within 24 hours or sooner if indicated, whenever any of the following conditions are met:

  1. A physical intervention has been difficult, severe or such that injury may have occurred, regardless of the duration of the hold or restraint e.g., the student has struggled and the staff has had to apply some degree of force to maintain safety.
  2. The student has been involved in a floor hold (i.e., prone, on the floor-not seated).
  3. The restraint exceed 20 minutes
  4. The student reports any pain or discomfort, or the student appears to be in pain or uncomfortable, regardless of whether or not he/she reports or confirms pain or discomfort.
  5. After a physical altercation between students that meets any of the criteria outlined above (i.e., difficulty, severity or duration of physical altercation; report or appearance of injury, pain or discomfort).

 

If there is no nurse on duty at the time of the incident, the on call nurse will be consulted by telephone. If it is determined that the on call nurse need not come to the program to do a body check; the body check will be done as soon as possible at the beginning of the next nurse’s shift on campus.

b. Prior to and on return from unsupervised leave of absence

A body check is also done prior to and upon returning from, an unsupervised home visit or an unsupervised off-campus visit. This is not a contraband check; it is a visual inspection looking for signs of illness or injury.

 

c. Student Refusal

If a student refuses a body check, the supervisor is notified and the event is documented on the Incident Report form and in the case record Progress Notes. Additional attempts are made until the body check is completed.