Heidi

In NZ the police can hold someone for the purpose of an assessment. Mental Health Act section 8A (application for assessment under MHA) can be filled in by anyone who is aged 18 and over and they must have seen the person within the last three days. A sec 8b must be (supporting or not supporting the application for assessment) must be done by a Doctor, either a general practitioner, registrar, medical officer of special scale etc. If the Doctor supports the application a duly authorised officer (usually a registered nurse) serves the proposed patient with sec 9 of the MHA which details that they are required to attend an assessment by a psychiatrist at a specified place, also gives the proposed patient their rights under the MHA. Sec 10 is the assessment of the proposed patient by the psychiatrist. If the psychiatrist from the assessment determines that the proposed patient does not meet the criteria (very fixed) of the MHA, they may offer informal admission or the proposed patient can go on their merry way. If the psychiatrist deems that the person meets the criteria of the MHA it then proceeds to sec 11 compulsary 5 day inpatient treatment and assessment. This can be discontinued at any time. The patient must be assessed regularily and if they are still under sec 11 on day five they are reassessed for sec 13 of the MHA which is a compulsary inpatient order for 14 days. The judge does not get involved untill the application is made for either a sec 30 (six month compulsary inpatient) or sec 29 community treatment order, however the info above needs to be implemented before this. Registered nurses anywhere in the hospital setting can apply sec 111 of the MHA for the patient to be held for up to 6 hours for the purpose of assessment under the MHA, this must be followed by an 8A. So NO police cannot place someone in a psychiatric hospital at their discretion but can request the crisis team to assess and can fill in an 8A. This was a very brief attempt to explain.

Are you talking about restraint of patients? We have what is called calming and restraint. Restraint is always done in a team of three minimum. We have specific holds and techniques. I have found it extremely effective if all people within the team are competent and able. Obviously it doesnt always work, so the art is to remove yourself ASAP and call police for backup.

I have seen the use of modecate depot and CBT have positive outcomes.

I trained in New Zealand as a registered comprehensive nurse. Through training I was also told to go into medical/surgical nursing. I chose to go into psych as it was my passion. I agree with "cheerfuldoer's" comment noted above re the 90% of psych in non-psych nursing roles. It is an art that does not rely on technology (apart from physical aspects). And yes I also have had comments from non-psych nurses that psych nurses are not real nurses. I figure that those who make such comments have forgotten the essence of nursing as a holistic concept. But what does it matter what they think, what matters is what you think. You have the ability to maintain medical skills you just need to apply that knowledge.