Gero-psych

Anyone working in a facility where the emphasis is increasing on geriatrics? We are doing more of this, and I would love to hear how others are doing with it.

My facility has tried to get a gero psych unit up and going a couple times but has backed off it for a couple reasons. One is that the facility is only reimbursted at the in pt psych rate but the clients require more staff time and effort. Because of the patients' physical needs the staff needs to be "nurse rich" with more RN's per pt. So staffing costs are higher.

Also the staff involved need to have a "dual speciality" geriatric care and psych. Psych specialists, at all levels, tend to be folks who don't want to deal with physical illness. Med/surg specialists who are focused on gerontology, generally don't want to deal with "crazies". So finding good staff is tough. And having good, expert, enthusiastic staff at all levels from medical director of the unit to nursing assistent, is essential to the success and safety of the unit.

Thanks, Charlie. I am definitely seeing what you mean about the need for "dual specialities" while being "nurse rich." Unfortunately, in this case, the cart seems to have been put before the horse.

i am a new rn, and i just applied for a geri-psych position yesterday. i have done clinicals in the area, and really enjoyed the unit. i think it is wonderful that more hospitals are making the separate psych units. i think the patients feel a little more comfortable with patients their own age.

Our facility does not differentiate the age of the patient, only the acuity. So our 18-yr old adults are placed with (and sometimes room with) our 80 year old dementia patients. We have intensive care vs acute care and our geri patients can go either way.

I manage a geripsych unit and will say a hearty AMEN to the fact that staff have to be dual trained for the unit to run well. Also, they need to really have a heart for working with the elderly and their families. It is really hard to get and keep good staff. Most of the nurses that are interested in psychiatry have no interest in doing the hands on patient care required in geripsych. What I would give for nurses and CNA's that would come to work with a positive upbeat attitude. I know they are out there somewhere!:sofahider

I'm in LPN school and considering applying for a CNA position in a Geri-psych unit. It's one of the positions available at the hospital I want to work for. Do you think working in this area would preclude me from working in other areas later? Seems to me like it might give me more experience than others because there would be a lot of the basic medical care and ADLs to do along with seeing the psych aspect. Maybe not as exciting as the openings in ER and same-day surgery that I'm looking it, but still beneficial. I have a teacher who loves geri-psych.

i would guess from my experience that most patient attacks on mental health workers is from either the geriatric psych patient or the child psychl patient. the difference being the kids are a lot quicker.