I am son/ POA Financial/medical on record at hospital. Mom fell fractured pelvis and before i could drive 40 miles to hospital she had already signed the papers. Not knowing what she had signed. I did not know this until 90 days later when I was moving her from the Rehab / SNF back to assisted living. I cleaned out the night stand and the discharge papers were jammed in the night stand. When I filed a grievance with hospital the reply from CEO was that my POA had nothing to do with incompetence, although memory loss and onset of dementia were in medical records. Essentially what I was told , unless she was adjudicated incompetent she could sign her own papers and I believe they want that way cause she does not know what she is signing. This practice is completely unethical and should be eliminated. What can be done?
I'm not really sure what your issue is other than feeling your mother was urged, persuaded (for lack of specific terms) in signing the discharge papers, which in my experience provide advice on follow-up care, along with the usual warnings about smoking, etc. There are more commitments in the Admission papers.
Do you feel she shouldn't have been discharged? That she was coerced in signing without understanding the nature of the discharge instructions?
And how do you feel she was jeopardized by signing the discharge papers?
And on what basis do you feel this is unethical?
Perhaps I'm missing something in your post but it seems as though your anger primarily arises from the fact that your mother signed papers which you don't feel she should have signed, and/or that you should have been asked to sign them on her behalf? If that's the case, were you not able to be present when she was discharged? Who transported her to rehab? Did she go by ambulance?
It would help to answer your question if you stated exactly how you feel she was jeopardized by signing the discharge instructions.