kiwipsychnurse

Hi, been a few years since I posted but would like some input please. How do you manage pt's that self harm in an inpatient environment? At present we have a very hands on approach which usually results with intensive nursing in a highcare environm...

Hi, we went smoke free about 6 years ago with very few issues. We were expecting violence to increase but that was not the case. Can I just get some feedback if your hospital is smoke free and which state or country you are from. Thanks

Thanks for the feedback. I'm in a forensic psych hospital in Auckland, NZ for the nurse that asked.

You will love this. Day shift 8 nurses 15 patients. Afternoons 5 to 15 and nights 3 to 15. I think these are the best ratios in the world. Forensic psych hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.

Hi, Work in a psych hospital in New Zealand. Most of us just wear jeans and tee shirts. Today I'm wearing a Canadian Rugby jersey, jeans and trainers. Due to the amount of sport we play with the patients it would be very impracticle to dress up altho...

Mental health nursing does have its down time, even when I worked general acutes there was still lots of free time compared to our cousins in med/surg nursing. So dig deep and share what activity you undertake most often at work in the nursing statio...

I suspect we will never agree on this issue. Makes me thankful for the country I live, the laws we have around Health and safety in the workplace and the strong union nursing has in New Zealand. Note: you can't sue for personal injury in NZ (that is...

I have seen cell take outs of mentally ill inmates in a psych wing of the prison in Ohio. The guards went in with pepper spray, shields and body armour. The patient was extreme pain while they restrained him and carted him off to off to another room/...

Could it be that the difference between our psych system and yours is you select which patients are suitable for your hospital and if they are too violent and aggressive then you send them to prison? This ensures your hospital's patients are relative...

My work place. 8 staff to 15 Pt ratio; if acuity increases then the staff to pt ratio increases. I think we can handle 99% of violent situations and have only had to call the police once in 18 years.

Thank goodness we have acts of law that prevent this type of issue. If someone is trying kill you and you are sleeper hold and you punch them in the groin you get fired? So basically you need to be a punching bag? And not defend yourself because of f...

I learnt that if your busy on nights and I'm excluding admissions then dish out the PRN. Having patients up all night drinking tea and coffee watching TV is not promoting recovery as all they do is sleep the next day. Also avoid talking to them on ni...

Seated holds sounds like you require a great deal of strength for this method to work. I have no idea how this works I'm guessing you have a nurse either side and sit the patient down and prevent them standing up. If we tried to use such techniques i...

Yesterday I attended a sensory modulation forum. This approach was targeting reducing selection and restraint. The speaker was an American OT by the name of Tina Champagne. Some of the concepts were to get in early with an agitated/distressed patient...

Yesterday I attended a sensory modulation forum. This approach was targeting reducing selection and restraint. The speaker was an American OT by the name of Tina Champagne. Some of the concepts were to get in early with an agitated/distressed patie...

You didnt hit him, his nose was pushed into your hand as a result of some kind of restraint. Are you guys not union? Sounds like no proper investigation took place. I feel sorry for you.

To say psych nursing is easy all depends on your place of work, staff to pt ratio's, rehab or acute etc. If you find a good number then well done, there are plenty of hell places to work and you are on the go from the moment you step in the door. Oth...

Is it acute inpatient or rehab. If its rehab once they have gone to bed kick back and relax. If its acute then could be another story. People walking around trying to talk to you all night is not good for the whole ward and the patients tend to sleep...

Yes a real one, no mention of a fire hazard. I'm at the rehab end, so noone plays with the tree. I just phoned two of the acute wards in our complex and they both have trees up. One ward has a real pine tree, the other two fake plastic ones. Thanks f...

Seasons greetings. Came to work today and saw a really nice (Pine) christmas tree in the main dining area. A few of the staff have put in a real effort with regards lots of decorations around the place. I must say it's created a great feel for the p...

If you work in such an unsafe facility that the model of care allows for nurses/staff to assaulted with no consequences for the perpetrator then best you leave. Unless you want to become a punching bag for this character and anyone else that sees th...

Cons: some kids maybe classed (

Ask to go to a rehab ward, putting you in an acute ward being so pregnant is not good. Try and minimise your exposure to very unwell patients. At the end of the day you might not have a choice but put your case forward to your tutor and then if you d...

And Kudos to you. That was the idea, to get people talking about there down time and some of the antics they get up to. Some of the replies just paint the picture that your area of work place is too busy to have "down time". However if your happy g...

more info on bubble shooters.