A male resident insists on wearing his night pyjamas throughout the day. When asked about it, the resident said, “I feel more comfortable in my pyjamas than in pants and shirt. I do dress up when I go out though, but at home I can wear what I want.” The staff has been trained to groom residents appropriately in accordance with the time of day. The nurses know that the annual certification survey would take place at any time, and the facility could be cited for not dressing this resident appropriately. Besides, the activity director has stated to the nurses that the ladies are particularly offended when this resident shows up at social functions. “They refer to him as ‘the pyjama man,’” she said. The situation was turned over to the social worker who explained to the resident the facility’s policy on grooming and that dressing up was good for his self-esteem. The resident simply retorted, “Leave me alone, I will not wear pants and shirt.”
Questions
1-Did the social worker handle the conflict appropriately? How should she have approached the issue?
Sample Solution