Self Harm by CPAP

Judging by the overall noncompliance with cpap wear, I perhaps would be suspicious of a suicidal patient requesting one.

Well, actually, cleback, the hospital does not supply patients with CPAP devices. Patients must bring in their own CPAP devices otherwise, they're SOOL.

That's why the new policy states (in the verbal word only) that "all psych patients admitted on active CPAP were to be placed on a one to one status".

For example, I worked the adult male psych unit last night. A newly admitted patient used CPAP at home, but did not bring it in with him. Therefore, he was not placed on a one to one status!

Electric cords. My hospital Psych unit removes the electric cords from hospital beds (if the Pt's have a medical need for them other than the standard mattresses). The door frames don't have the hinges like normal doors. Bathrooms have nothing that can be "hooked onto". No plastic bags (they even remove the plastic bags that cover pairs of disposable socks...). So, a Cpap has an electric cord plus the air tubing, so I guess both are noose risks.

Yes, we have the same sort of setup, Calicokitty; in fact, it's identical.

However, patients on O2 per nasal cannula with those long hoses are exempt from the one to one status, as are patients who need to use the O2 concentrator with the O2 tubing and the electric cord.

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Rapid Resolution of Intense Suicidal Ideation after Treatment of Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea

"Patients with insomnia may develop suicidal ideation; however, we know of no reports of suicidal ideation associated with obstructive sleep apnea."

Eyeglasses Can Be Hazardous

"Researchers found injuries related to wearing eyeglasses sent an estimated 27,000 people to emergency rooms in the U.S. during a recent two-year period. More than 1,000 of those injured by their eyeglasses were admitted to the hospital for further treatment for their injuries."

It would seem more prudent to implement self harm precautions for those who wear eyeglasses compared to those who use CPAP!

We put any patient with a CPAP on a higher level of observation while they are using the CPAP. These patients don't require a 1:1 while using it unless they were a high suicide risk to begin with.

And we're not just worried about the patient using it. There's also the concern that other patients may use all those lovely cords and tubes to cause harm to themselves and/or others. Even more reason to keep a closer eye on it while it's on the unit.

The door frames don't have the hinges like normal doors.

How do the doors work then?

The door hinge runs the entire length of the door Julius Seizure.

Here's a quick computer sketch of what he BR doors on the psych units look like:

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