All Content by diawc
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Seizures
I work in a free standing psych facility and we are looking to strenghten some of our policies. One I am working on is around seizures - what do you do for nursing interventions, what meds are you using, and when do you send out to an ED? Thanks for your help with this!
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Physician Assistants in psychiatric hospitals?
we have hired quite a few where I work. We use Rns and NP/PAs, they help the psychiatrists tremendously
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Domestic Violence....Against Men
Interesting....what hurts worse, a physical "slap" or an emotional one? I deal with abuse victims all the time. As a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, I find people sympathize with the women, and question the male victims. Victim=victim. Sex doesnt lessen the degree of emotional impact. Working as a psych nurse, I see that a lot. We feel for the poor lady who's dad beat her as a kid, but look at the guy to "toughen up". Not fair!
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Acute Psych Facilities - All the Same?
No, all facilities are not the same Some are "for profit" some are not. Facilities can be selective, based on what type of programming is available. The really agressive patients do end up going to state facililties, because of the degree of violence they posess. Not all places can take violent patients. Some places are free-standing, some are attached to the hospital.
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Police on psych unit
I am looking for information related to allowing police onto the psych unit with their weapons. What are you all doing? Also if there is any relavent research out there. Thanks for helping as we explore this.
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Looking for inpatient adult psychiatric suicide hospital screening information
admission criteria here, simply is a danger to self or others, incapable of performing ADL's d/t psychosis, ect. Of course thats all open to interpretation, but it works. Our social workers screen voluntary admits for criteria.
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Pts who assault, is there any protection or policy?
We do have to transport patients at times, and it is AlWAYS with 2 staff members. Safety goes both ways...like the above poster, assaults happen. If you have patients who are touchy/feely, they should not be alone with a staff ever, those are the kind who turn around and report YOU for inappropriate conduct.
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Residential childrens facility..
I have found in our facility that the first thing is to show no fear, nor act surprised. They will say things to get a rise. Act like you've heard/seen it all. Show respect but also show you are in charge. They will react to kindness, and compassion, but only after you earn their respect. Also, the facility should give you training in some non-violent ways to deal with any child who acts out. Enjoy!
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Medical clearance
I currently work in a freestanding psychiatric facility. We are doing some policy reviews, and would like to establish some general medical clearance standards. What are the minimums that your facility requires to be hospitalized from an ED? Ex: All patients must have a UDS, any first psychotic breaks must have a head CT, ect. Thank you so much for any assistance I can receive in this area.
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Funny Websites or Blogs With Nursing or Hosp Stuff
http://www.ertards.com/ stupid reasons that people go to the er....hysterical!
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you know you work in mental health when...
You know you're in psyche when.... 1. Your patient refuses to go to bed because "its on fire" 2. you know what "cheeking" is.... 3. Nudity is a normal condition of some of your patients 4. You hear threats like "if you dont give me that pill, I'll take all my clothes off right now. 5. You find patients talking to multiple inanimate objects - and getting made when you interrupt.
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How to tell you've worked too many shifts in a row
you know you've worked too many.... When you wake up in the afternoon, yell at the kids (who just got home from school) to get to bed right away because its way past their bedtime.....and not even remember the conversation
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Memo to All Hospital Staff
I think we work at the same place??? LMAO!
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Nursing Supervisors
Depends on the hospital....I have worked mainly community Hospitals, and they hired me into supervision primarily because of how I managed the unit work I was on. Had a 6 week orientation and let me fly. I have been a nursing supervisor for 13 years now, and wouldnt trade it for the world. Its rewarding. I have a BS and an ADN - plan to start my MSN this year.
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Do you identify yourself as a nurse when you or your family are a patient?
I dont identify myself - I dont often hear waitresses telling other waitresses of their occupation prior to ordering, or hear people at check-outs telling their occupation. I am there/my family is there for services and who/what I am shouldnt matter. I have had some patients who werent medical prior to their condition know much more than I, and nurses who knew less....what you do for a living shouldnt dictate care or how you talk to someone. You should be able to tell a person's level of understanding as you talk to them and let that dictate how you share information. If asked, of course I tell.
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Nursing Superstitions?
Everytime I recert in CPR or ACLS, I have a code my next shift. Never fails Full moon is true on every unit I've worked on. When I worked ER I would ask for a code - true to word, if you ask you shall receive - my coworkers would get mad...but I thrived on it! Holidays bring out the drunks. Always the night after. If an elderly person said they were going to die that night, take note. More often than not they did.
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Nursing Superstitions?
1. Fully believe in the full-moon "theory" (or as I call it, reality). 2. Any day I want to be low-censused, if requested, will be busier than any other day that week. 3. Working nights, any time I am sleep deprived, even if I say the "s" work, it will still be slow......causing me to do the head bob 4. When someone says "boy, so-and-so hasnt acted up for a while" you know you will be getting the restraints out soon. 5. If someone asks about how to do a code blue, you will be showing them soon. I think basically in nursing, its a "ask and you shall receive" profession :-)
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Crazy/weird/funny things you have caught your pts doing
Working in the ER one night, had a frequent flier alcoholic in being worked up. The poor Xray tech went in to retrieve the pt for an xray to find his girlfriend "servicing" him......he just smiled and said it was his birthday....
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You Know You Really Have To Pee When......
You've had to pee for so long, that it hurts when you start to go....
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Being a Nurse for a Killer
I work in a psychiatric hospital, and we often have criminals who "hide out" here thinking they can avoid prosecution for a while. It is difficult to care for someone who has committed a heinous crime, yet it is an expectation. No the nurses here cannot refuse. While difficult, they are still human beings, and who knows what drove them to this desperate act? We try and look at them as human beings who need our help. After all, your "normal" patients have probably done things you would cringe at as well.
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10 things you say at work lay people could get arrested for
how about.... Are you ready to go to bed? I'm just going to take some pictures of your cervix ( during a SANE exam) When was the last time you had consentual sex? (during nurse-to nurse) Is he/she a normal walkie talkie?
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Important Lessons my Patients have Taught me...
1. Always wait until 11pm to call and complain that your adolescent child needs to be transfered to a medical hospital. Honestly, I'm sure you didnt know about the abdominal pain when you visited at 7pm. 2. Yes, I'm sure you are here (at the psych hospital) because you called the ER doctor Dr. Pompus. What other reason could it be? (not the pressured speech, mania, or OCD s/s) 3. Punching a window to try and escape can actually break a bone.
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Funny things that pts say
lol....I had someone ask for DenLaudin! Is that Ben Laudins brother by chance?:bowingpur
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Stupid things said by your non-nurse significant other
My sister, who is a MA, often has "almost" something...... Last year it was "almost" pneumonia Her son, btw, also has "almost" cystic fibrosis!
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The strangest thing you've ever seen on an x-ray?
13 yo boy who inserted a metal rod into his member - didnt ask, but he ended up in surgery. DD girl who swollowed staples one at a time - took us a while to figure that one out. Had a cousin who worked on the West coast, he had a patient who "accidentally" sat on a jar of grey poupon. Yup surgery - but the funniest part was that his surgeons also lived in his subdivision. Can you imagine the summer block party? "Pardon me sure....can you pass the............."