CARSON CITY " A Nevada Assembly panel was urged Wednesday to support a Senate-approved plan to let patients in care facilities or their families or guardians install surveillance devices in the patients' rooms.
Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, told the Assembly Health and Human Services Committee that SB290 would protect seniors in hospices, nursing homes and other group home settings from abuse, and would comfort guardians of such patients who might live far away.
"The capabilities of monitoring from a remote location provide a sense of security to both the facility and the residents," said Cegavske, the bill's primary sponsor.
Cegavske said she introduced SB290 in large part because of an unexplained hand injury her mother sustained while in a Minnesota nursing home last year. Cegavske's mother has Alzheimer's disease and can no longer play the piano as a result of the injury.
Also backing the bill was Lillian Mandel, who said her mother was abused twice last year in a nursing home. She said one of the incidents involved a diaper shoved in her mother's mouth.
"I realized I needed some kind of evidence in my mother's room to protect her and any senior around because this is totally unacceptable," Mandel said, adding that the cases involving those responsible for abusing her mother were eventually resolved.
Nevada Health Care Association representative Renny Ashleman opposed the bill, saying its intent was good but remote monitoring of patients could conflict with state and federal patient privacy laws.
Ashleman used the example of patients who wander into a room of another patient who had such a monitoring device but who wouldn't understand they're being monitored even if signs noting their use were posted.
Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, the committee chairwoman, said she understands why Cegavske wanted the bill but added, "There is a lot that needs to be worked out on this."
"Your personal experience is one that we would all absolutely want to not have to happen to our family," Smith said. "But I worry about it being the proverbial camel's nose under the tent, if you will, when we're talking about other people's space in facilities."
Changes to the bill made in the Senate specify that the monitoring devices use video without sound and require the guardian of a patient to obtain any permits to install such equipment in compliance with facility codes. Another change would release the facility from liability arising from any issues involving the monitoring device.