Getting Hurt in the Units

[HolyPeas]

Hello all!

I am a recent grad and just got hired in a state facility. I was my first choice because I had done clinical work in this facility and enjoyed my time.

I have one, albeit serious concern though. Security, security, SECURITY. There doesnt seem to be much! That along with the fact that there are TONS of openings in this place when they havent added on or anything like that leads me to believe that people dont stick around.

So just for my own information, What is the recourse (generally, I know places are different) should anyone be seriously hurt by a patient?

[mentalhealthnurse32]

Well I work on a locked down Psych unit, and this most important thing is SAFETY. I have seen staff get hurt in Psych, but the times that this happened the staff instigated the fight. In Psych you have to set boundries, but at the same time these types of client's still need to be treated with respect. I have heard at other hospitals were staff members were beaten to death or even killed. I feel on Psych that you have to know your clients, and understand that they have have the potential to blow up. So always try to be safe.

[Topaz7]

It depends where you work I guess. In my experience though the state facilities tend to have more issues with security as far as people getting hurt. I work in a decent sized (about 130 beds) non-profit mental health hospital and usually when we can't handle a Pt we send them to the state hospital. I have worked at my job for 2.5 years and have never been hurt once (knock on wood). Unless you count when I work on the Older Adult Psych unit, but I don't count that because I have been hit by Dementia Pt's NOT in the psych lockdown unit. I think it just comes with the territory in Dementia sometimes. If you do end up getting hurt on the job I would say try not to take it personally and remember you are working with some very sick individuals. Who knows what they are perceiving at that moment. We had a Pt once who saw evil flying monkeys trying to harm him when he looked at anybody, you had to be very careful in how you approached this Pt, just for an example.