Posted by yxibow on December 7, 2008, at 3:30:39
In reply to Re: Locked wards 'harm patients' » yxibow, posted by Phillipa on December 6, 2008, at 20:25:55
> Jay in this case that Scott mentions I feel we should agree to disagree as worked a locked ward and when a patient or client, person is really manic they at the time are not responsible for their actions.
I'm not referring to the type of ward you worked in -- people are put on 3, 14, whatever day holds in this state and a lot of states, and yes, that's because they are not in a state where they can even evaluate themselves.
Frequently it is the homeless mentally ill that end up in that state and then are tossed right back out, that is if they've been doing PCP or something. Of course sometimes they end up in the ICU part of the hospital anyhow because of alcohol poisoning.
But you're entitled to your views as someone who worked there, I'm just saying that a "hold" is not always just, it is based on some bias from the police at a situation, not that they can enter the ward armed, or at least there used to be a lock box, but anyhow, it is not always pleasant to the client who is actually more aware and functional than those who are overstaffed and evaluating people.
Someone needs to keep them safe til meds kick in. After the episode some are so embarrassed by their actions in a locked ward.
Well actually I had embarassment with some of my treatment in the hospital in the first place, because it was getting my shower and washing time down in stages and I was pulled out of the shower naked before I finished by some large people of a certain race that are usually kept around for such purposes. Sorry, but its hard not to have some racism and anger at the way one can be treated, and this was an unlocked ward.
One problem with mania is the patient loves the great feeling and really doesn't want it to go away and sometimes very difficult to convince the client they need meds.
Hmm.... well there was a patient who was on Prozac, you could amost say she was slightly manic, but that is one possible view of how Prozac can jumpstart some people to begin with.
Well I can say that I've been in what used to be both for a voluntary treatment for my OCD, the open ward was boring but 100% different from the closed one. As I was not of age quite yet but was deemed to be an adult, I walked out of there home after I couldn't stand it any more, and of course I was placed in the locked ward.
Boring, patients completely different from me, nurses station a joke, several people restrained in beds, listless patients with few to talk to, not that camaraderie is a state of mind in a lot of hospital visits since they're so short unlike my exception (which doesn't exist now, you just don't stay that long, its bankruptcy at $5+k a day or whatever its gotten to now), I was moved back after a 3 day hold I think because it wasn't moving my treatment anywhere. Besides boring, rather frightening and basically no visits.
Not that the open ward was a picnic nor was the treatment, but they did give the patients who were cooperating a chance to have escorted visits of the community and there was a nurse who I talked to frequently who took some interest in my story and life.
The adolescent and underage ward would have been locked and it was felt that I would not really have been on par with whoever was in there.
-- just my personal experience that I think mental wards of hospitals vary wildly in the way they handle patients and are just one of the many reasons for JCAHO certification issues.-- Jay
poster:yxibow
thread:865930
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081204/msgs/867183.html