pamnock

Meds are most important, also Axis V, GAF, and common diagnoses as well as their abbreviations: PDD, ODD, ADHD, etc.. Be very familiar wih your units PRN's and drugs the doctor may prescribe that may interact with them (for example, I've had doctors prescribe Geodon and had Thorazine as a PRN).

I educate, discuss the decision, and notifiy the physician if the patient still refuses.

I was hired directly out of nursing school to an inpatient psych unit.

I work on an acute child/adolescent inpatient unit. LOVE it! It's certainly not for everyone, but I find it very rewarding. Pam

I work on an acute inpatient child/adolescent unit. We are not permitted to wear scrubs - our dress code is business casual. Many of us have a personal preference of black, which is what I usually wear. Pam

Building trust and a rapport with patients will help to keep them from directing their anger at staff. I've never had a patient come after me. In most cases, they will punch/kick walls or throw something, but it has been rare on our acute inpatient unit for staff to be asssulted (although it has happened). Pam

In my state, (Pennsylvania), it is a felony to assult a health care worker. Our doctors advocate for staff safety and encourage staff to press charges if assulted by a patient. We can certainly block a punch to protect ourselves from injury. A patient can just as easily injure their hand from punching staff in the mouth as they can from staff blocking the punch. Here is a list of state statues addressing patients assulting health care workers. http://www.ena.org/IENR/Documents/State%20Survey%20-%20Criminal%20Laws%20-%20Misdemeanor%20and%20Felony.pdf Pam