Psychiatric Nurse working with Police

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 19, 2014

PET: psychiatric emergency/evaluation teams. They usually work in conjunction with local law enforcement.

Police can place people under psychiatric holds and transport them to the hospital, but they don't have a say in treatment while the patient is in the hospital. In addition, if the psychiatrist decides to not uphold the hold, police can't demand that the patient still be held.

However, patients CAN be released back into police custody if it's called for, such as if there's a warrant for the patient's arrest, or if the patient was brought in for a jail evaluation.

Davey Do · Jan 19, 2014

what is the role of the police when working alongside a nurse?

Back in the mid 90's the State Hospital in this area was deinstitutionalizing the Facility, for long term Residents that met certain criteria, into the Community. These Residents recieved Services from a Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team which consisted of a Team Leader, a Substance Abuse Counselor, an RN, and a couple of Case Managers.

The Police assisted us by sometimes accompanying the Team Members in Shady Areas of Town, acting in Crisis Situations, and generally being supportive. The Officers recieved training in dealing with Psychiatric Clients.

The Police were contacted at least three times during my two year stint. Twice, when some of the Local Rabble was using or harrassing the Clients, and once after a Psychotic Client diagnosed with Undifferentiated Schizophrenia stabbed me and a different Client with a pair of scissors.

It was very reassuring having their support.

fiba · Jan 23, 2014

thanks for the replies :)

@ Davey Do wow that is scary stuff. I am glad to hear that it is reassuring to have police support,

I come from a criminology education background and sometimes people do not have nice things to say about officers.

Novo · Jan 23, 2014

In Alberta we have something called the CRISIS team, it's an RN that goes out with the police to calls that involve pysahtric emergencies. I don't know much about it but my mental health teacher brought it up last week.

TerpGal02, ASN · Jan 23, 2014

In the hospital I work at now, we rarely see police unless it's a pretty extreme situation and we call them. Our patients are brought in by transport usually from local ERs or after being evaluated in admissions. Ive never seen anyone be brought in by the police.

My last job was on and ACT Team. Unfortunately we didn't get police escorts in bad parts of town (which would have been soooo awesome), but we did have dealings with them. Our old chief of police really had it out for psych pts (he had a former partner killed by a psychotic person) and was not interested in working with us AT ALL. The chief that was working when I left was very responsive and would try to let us handle things with our own clients as much as the law would allow. He also made quite a few referrals for our services when they would be emergency petitioning someone for psych evals over and over again. It was a much better situation.

Umberlee · Feb 6, 2014

I just accepted a position on a new ACT team starting in our area, but this thread is making me pretty nervous...not to mention the ~$25% pay cut I'm going to have to swallow, ugh.

I really would like a change of pace from our inpatient psych hospital, though. Not sure if it is worth being murdered, though. At least in inpatient you know patients are free of deadly weapons and you have 10+ people handy to respond if there is a code. I'm not sure what I do if someone tried to stab me during a home visit. I wonder if I could make a case for concealed carry on scary home visits. /onlyhalfwayjoking

SickSister · Feb 6, 2014

Hi Umberlee,

why you getting a pay cut, surely this ACT job sounds so much more dangerous, you should be getting paid actually more for the dangers you putting yourself into.

I cant comment how it is to work alongside police, but I do have to deal with police at least once a week, as we get lots of acute patients and at weekend lots of drunks.

TerpGal02, ASN · Feb 6, 2014

I just accepted a position on a new ACT team starting in our area, but this thread is making me pretty nervous...not to mention the ~$25% pay cut I'm going to have to swallow, ugh.
I really would like a change of pace from our inpatient psych hospital, though. Not sure if it is worth being murdered, though. At least in inpatient you know patients are free of deadly weapons and you have 10+ people handy to respond if there is a code. I'm not sure what I do if someone tried to stab me during a home visit. I wonder if I could make a case for concealed carry on scary home visits. /onlyhalfwayjoking

What area of the country will you he working in? Big city, medium sized city? Honestly I would not be worried about being murdered. I am sure your agency has safety protocols in place as far as going to really sketchy areas, etc. Also, most ACT Teams I've seen are banker hour jobs, so during the day, you are less likely to encounter something really bad (in the neighborhood that is)

Yes it's true that ACT clients are quiet ill but the idea is that you develop a long term relationship with them, see them almost daily. When they start getting symptomatic, you will notice the signs and hopefully either intervene or not go alone before the situation gets to crisis level. Now the city I worked in was not that big and surrounded by a quite rural area, but it was pretty rough as far as crime and my year there, nothing ever happened to me. There was only 1 time with a pt where I started feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. That situation was a schizoaffective pt with a hx of violent behavior, active addict and not exactly compliant with meds. He was getting a little too scary animated for my liking so I simply smiled, stayed calm, got his injection (oh and he was a week late on hos long acting. He tried to dodge us a lot on that) and I got the heck out always keeping myself between the door and him. From them on his case manager brought him in for injections.

So you see, I wouldnt get overly concerned, but always stay vigilant. ACT is a side of nursing where your gut will serve you very well. On Tue up side, I loved ACT. The pay isn't great but the autonomy and 1:1 time you get to spend with the pts more than makes up for it. I still miss a lot of the clients greatly and would probably consider ACT again somewhere down the line.

Umberlee · Feb 6, 2014

Thanks, TerpGal02...this is a brand new team that is starting from the ground up in this area. It is a small city with a pretty rural feel. I think I'll be okay, just feeling a little leery. I'm really excited about moving away from a brick and mortar setting because community outreach services are going to keep growing in the future and I'm hoping this will open some doors down the line...which is why I'm taking it despite the significant pay cut.

fiba · Feb 7, 2014

In Vancouver this is the service that is provided when psychiatric nurses deal with cops.

I assumed it would be similar in other places. Looks awesome! from both perspectives, but I bet it can be stressful!

https://www.vch.ca/about_us/news/vancouver-mental-health-emergency-services---car-87