I'm a psychiatric nurse and was assaulted resulting in a broken nose and other injuries but that happened so fast it wasn't even my scariest moment. The most frightening was when a very paranoid and delusional patient impulsively got another male patient in a choke hold completely cutting off his airway. A male tech and I were immediately there trying to get him off. He exhibited unbelievable strength and even as strong as our TA is we couldn't get him to release. I will never forget the look in either patient's eyes. One wild eyed like an animal, the other struggling and terrified. I honestly thought I was going to watch him kill him right in front of us. He finally let go when someone hit him across the face.
27 years in psych and I've had 1 violent assault. Injuries included, having hair pulled out, black eye, broken nose and herniated disc in my neck. Resulted in 5 months off work, chronic pain and PTSD.
She was schizophrenic and out of touch with reality but had never been aggressive or violent. Yes, I've been trained in CPI and understand effective deescalation. I did everything right but the attack came out of nowhere.
She had me down so quickly and violently that I couldn't fight back. She had such strength those in the room with me had difficulty getting her off me. I see nothing wrong with fighting back in self defense. I didn't read the article but I'm guessing her reaction went beyond defending herself and escalated to her becoming the aggressor and attacking back.
Just an FYI my hospital did support me and I was given the option of pressing charges. I chose not to because she was very psychotic. However, I wouldn't have hesitated otherwise.
My entire career, 27 yrs, in the same department. I work on an inpatient psychiatric unit and have no plans to leave. It's not perfect but we are a close team with a good manager and great docs. We've all worked together a long time. On day shift most have more seniority than me. The newest nurse has about 17 years with us!
I work on an inpatient acute care psychiatric unit. We recently exchanged our nonelectric, crank style hospital beds for platform beds. I understand that this is best practice in promoting a safe environment. Hospital beds with side rails are a suicide risk.
We do occasionally have patients with medical needs on our unit and even the overflow from the geriatric unit. We are finding the platform beds make it difficult to provide care for these patients when you can't raise the bed. Plus some need to have the head of the bed raised for their own comfort needs.
How is this handled on your unit? Do you have some hospital beds available for this type of patient? Is there some type of wedge that can be used with the platform mattress to raise the head? We are trying to find a way to resolve this issue and still maintain safety. I would appreciate input about the beds on your units.
Many years ago I was working nights and received a transfer from a medical floor. The man was in a very psychotic episode. He called me by my first name (I go by my middle name), knew how many children I had and where I went to grade school. I live in a small community about an hour from where I work. Occasionally I have a patient from there who knows me through my parents or husband, even though I don't know them. I assumed this was the case with this man.
I came back a few days later and he had completely recovered. His psychosis had been related to a medical issue. When he saw me he immediately gave me a hug and said: "I didn't think you were real!" He told me he remembered that night and believed he had died, was in heaven and that I was an angel. He had no connection whatsoever to me and had no idea how he knew those things about me. Still gives me chills!
"How to look incredibly stupid?": Impulsively decide that at 5'3, 100 lb you can get in the middle of 2 angry male patients and break up a fight with your "Mom" voice. It worked, but only because I got punched and knocked to the floor from a swing intended for the other guy!
We are a good team and injuries are rare on our unit, but a few serious ones have occurred. I was assaulted and injured one time in the 26 years I've worked on my unit. I missed 5 months of work and still deal with some chronic pain from the incident. My advice is to remember our patients can be completely unpredictable and the unexpected can happen even when you do all the right things.
Last year I wrote a thread about how 25 years in psych has affected me. Here is a bit from that: "I have been challenged and blessed in more ways than I can count throughout these years. Have even experienced, at various times, what many patients do. Major depression, anxiety, chronic insomnia, even assault, PTSD and chronic pain. Certainly brought about growth in empathy and humility, which helped me to be a better nurse."
Those same experiences (including the assault and resulting chronic pain and PTSD) could have happened to me no matter what field of nursing I was in.
I don't believe it has affected my home life any more than any other type of nursing. I also do not think it has "brought out the craziness" in me. The mental issues I dealt with would have happened to me no matter where I worked. The hours I worked (night shift) was the main culprit, not the environment.
I love psychiatric nursing and yes it has affected me, just like many years in any field would. Best of luck no matter what you decide.
I did not go to your house and bring you to the hospital, you called the squad. I did not tell the doctor you were suicidal, you threatened to kill yourself if sent home from er. So tell me again why it is my fault you were placed on a 72 hr hold, admitted to the psychiatric unit and can't sign yourself out????
No suggestions but you might want to check before buying one of those little fans (even battery powered). They are strictly prohibited at the nurse's station in our hospital.
I work on a psychiatric unit. I was telling a psychiatrist about an agitated, delusional patient who believed that he was God. His immediate response: "Tell him that's impossible. He can't be God; I'm God"! In reality he is one of my favorite docs and would never be accused of having a god complex.
Guess you had to be there...was so funny to those of us there, yet losses something as I read it!
I worked days with night rotation for years and it's tough. Typically every other weekend;nights Fri and Sat then back on days Mon. It is difficult and took it's toll on me physically and emotionally. I was a mess and it got to where I was unable to sleep day or night. I went to straight days last year and can't believe the difference in how I feel.
My advice, if you have a choice don't let this become a regular schedule.
I'm a psychiatric nurse and was assaulted resulting in a broken nose and other injuries but that happened so fast it wasn't even my scariest moment. The most frightening was when a very paranoid and delusional patient impulsively got another male patient in a choke hold completely cutting off his airway. A male tech and I were immediately there trying to get him off. He exhibited unbelievable strength and even as strong as our TA is we couldn't get him to release. I will never forget the look in either patient's eyes. One wild eyed like an animal, the other struggling and terrified. I honestly thought I was going to watch him kill him right in front of us. He finally let go when someone hit him across the face.
27 years in psych and I've had 1 violent assault. Injuries included, having hair pulled out, black eye, broken nose and herniated disc in my neck. Resulted in 5 months off work, chronic pain and PTSD.
She was schizophrenic and out of touch with reality but had never been aggressive or violent. Yes, I've been trained in CPI and understand effective deescalation. I did everything right but the attack came out of nowhere.
She had me down so quickly and violently that I couldn't fight back. She had such strength those in the room with me had difficulty getting her off me. I see nothing wrong with fighting back in self defense. I didn't read the article but I'm guessing her reaction went beyond defending herself and escalated to her becoming the aggressor and attacking back.
Just an FYI my hospital did support me and I was given the option of pressing charges. I chose not to because she was very psychotic. However, I wouldn't have hesitated otherwise.
My entire career, 27 yrs, in the same department. I work on an inpatient psychiatric unit and have no plans to leave. It's not perfect but we are a close team with a good manager and great docs. We've all worked together a long time. On day shift most have more seniority than me. The newest nurse has about 17 years with us!
I work on an inpatient acute care psychiatric unit. We recently exchanged our nonelectric, crank style hospital beds for platform beds. I understand that this is best practice in promoting a safe environment. Hospital beds with side rails are a suicide risk.
We do occasionally have patients with medical needs on our unit and even the overflow from the geriatric unit. We are finding the platform beds make it difficult to provide care for these patients when you can't raise the bed. Plus some need to have the head of the bed raised for their own comfort needs.
How is this handled on your unit? Do you have some hospital beds available for this type of patient? Is there some type of wedge that can be used with the platform mattress to raise the head? We are trying to find a way to resolve this issue and still maintain safety. I would appreciate input about the beds on your units.
Many years ago I was working nights and received a transfer from a medical floor. The man was in a very psychotic episode. He called me by my first name (I go by my middle name), knew how many children I had and where I went to grade school. I live in a small community about an hour from where I work. Occasionally I have a patient from there who knows me through my parents or husband, even though I don't know them. I assumed this was the case with this man.
I came back a few days later and he had completely recovered. His psychosis had been related to a medical issue. When he saw me he immediately gave me a hug and said: "I didn't think you were real!" He told me he remembered that night and believed he had died, was in heaven and that I was an angel. He had no connection whatsoever to me and had no idea how he knew those things about me. Still gives me chills!
Congratulations! Any suggestions you can give me for a good study guide?
Don't try to fool me, I know you have a pack of cigarettes and a lighter hid here somewhere!
It's Supernurse to the rescue!
"How to look incredibly stupid?": Impulsively decide that at 5'3, 100 lb you can get in the middle of 2 angry male patients and break up a fight with your "Mom" voice. It worked, but only because I got punched and knocked to the floor from a swing intended for the other guy!
We are a good team and injuries are rare on our unit, but a few serious ones have occurred. I was assaulted and injured one time in the 26 years I've worked on my unit. I missed 5 months of work and still deal with some chronic pain from the incident. My advice is to remember our patients can be completely unpredictable and the unexpected can happen even when you do all the right things.
Last year I wrote a thread about how 25 years in psych has affected me. Here is a bit from that: "I have been challenged and blessed in more ways than I can count throughout these years. Have even experienced, at various times, what many patients do. Major depression, anxiety, chronic insomnia, even assault, PTSD and chronic pain. Certainly brought about growth in empathy and humility, which helped me to be a better nurse."
Those same experiences (including the assault and resulting chronic pain and PTSD) could have happened to me no matter what field of nursing I was in.
I don't believe it has affected my home life any more than any other type of nursing. I also do not think it has "brought out the craziness" in me. The mental issues I dealt with would have happened to me no matter where I worked. The hours I worked (night shift) was the main culprit, not the environment.
I love psychiatric nursing and yes it has affected me, just like many years in any field would. Best of luck no matter what you decide.
I did not go to your house and bring you to the hospital, you called the squad. I did not tell the doctor you were suicidal, you threatened to kill yourself if sent home from er. So tell me again why it is my fault you were placed on a 72 hr hold, admitted to the psychiatric unit and can't sign yourself out????
Happened twice to me today!
No suggestions but you might want to check before buying one of those little fans (even battery powered). They are strictly prohibited at the nurse's station in our hospital.
I work on a psychiatric unit. I was telling a psychiatrist about an agitated, delusional patient who believed that he was God. His immediate response: "Tell him that's impossible. He can't be God; I'm God"! In reality he is one of my favorite docs and would never be accused of having a god complex.
Guess you had to be there...was so funny to those of us there, yet losses something as I read it!
I worked days with night rotation for years and it's tough. Typically every other weekend;nights Fri and Sat then back on days Mon. It is difficult and took it's toll on me physically and emotionally. I was a mess and it got to where I was unable to sleep day or night. I went to straight days last year and can't believe the difference in how I feel.
My advice, if you have a choice don't let this become a regular schedule.