This morning I had the assignment of performing a task on a lady in our psychiatric hospital. Based on her name, I am pretty sure she was Muslim (although you never know, of course). However, when I was working with her, I noticed she was not wearing a hijab, or the head covering many Muslim wear. Now, I'm pretty sure not all female Muslims wear the covering, nor am I confident that this particular patient was, in fact, Muslim. However, it got me thinking...do they allow these patients to wear their head coverings while in the psychiatric hospital? It seems like a silly question, but if the patient is in their for suicidal ideation, it seems like they might not want them to have it since they could possibly use it to hang themselves or strangle themselves. Our psychiatric hospital is very strict and anything that could possibly be used to attempt suicide is banned. At the same time, if you do not allow these patients to wear them, you are not respecting their religious beliefs. My thought is that their safety is more important than their religious beliefs, but, obviously, they might not agree. What are your thoughts?
I was an inpatient psych nurse. Yes. We allowed the patients to keep their head coverings for religious reasons. If there was any concern about their immediate safety, they would be put on a 1:1... as would anyone that had special reasons (whatever they might be) that required an allowance outside the norm.
It should be allowed just put on q5 min check or have a sitter You can't discriminate or make her uncover around other males. That is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
So if I were to show up in your ER seven months pregnant and reeling from the shock of having lost the baby's father in a vehicular accident the previous day and telling you that this fresh loss is something I'm having difficulties coping with, your policy dictates that I strip in front of you and don mesh panties and paper clothes? How is that helpful for a person in my situation?
EVERY patient. And for those who resist body check, I am happy to cut their clothes off with my scissors as security holds them down or places them in restraints.
EVERY patient. And for those who resist body check, I am happy to cut their clothes off with my scissors as security holds them down or places them in restraints.
You're "happy to"? Given the nature of my hypothetical scenario, this comment sounds deliberately inflammatory. I've placed many individuals under arrest who enjoyed the heck out of traumatizing and hurting other people, so what you say doesn't really shock me, but it surprises me.
I have to wonder how any healthcare professional could think that the approach you suggest using on a grief-stricken, non-violent, pregnant patient who has voluntarily come to a healthcare facility to seek help, is even remotely appropriate. I also wonder about the legality of what you propose. Couldn't the person just decide to leave rather than to put up with that treatment? Perhaps one emotional trauma per week is enough...
I assume that you don't wrestle a non-violent, non-threatening appendicitis patient to the ground, hold them down and remove their clothes by force? Why should that be any more acceptable to do to a patient simply because they're in emotional pain, rather than physical?
In our ER we have what some people call strict policies on what behavioral patients are and are not allowed to have. When someone comes in for evaluation of a psychiatric nature, whether it's anxiety, depression, what have you, all of their belongings are taken from them whether they are voicing SI/HI or not. This includes their underwear, bras, hair bands, jewelry, socks, shoes, everything. They are provided with paper scrubs, mesh panties and non-skid socks and they have to change in front of a staff member of the same sex. They are allowed to keep eyewear, dentures and things of that nature. With that being said, I have not yet had a Muslim woman who wears a head covering come in. My guess is that our policies would allow them to keep it after it had been searched by a staff member.
We do this for several reasons. We keep all of our behavioral patients in one area of the department, so if even that particular patient is not SI/HI, we can't risk a patient who is getting their hands on something dangerous and harming themselves or
someone else. For those who are SI/HI, well, it's obvious.
Our rooms in that area are basic stripped down rooms, with a dedicated tech for that area to do 15 minute checks and if someone needs 1:1 they will have a 1:1. There is also an officer in that area pretty much 24/7 because we pretty much always have someone under IVC at any given time, but even if we don't have an IVC patient they tend to stay there. We have phone hours and visiting hours, patients can't have straws or eating utensils, no pens or pencils unless it's being used with supervision, they're not allowed to have any hard fruits such as apples, no caffeinated beverages, only water after evening snack, etc.
q 15 min is not often enough to prevent suicide or violence to others. It's really just taking attendance.
Psychotic and suicidal patient doesn't lose her human rights just because she is psychotic and suicidal. Safety is important, but so is human dignity, and being not allowed something that represents dignity for the patient won't help her to fight her mental disease. If someone is that much concerned about beloved nursing issue of "safety", make patient 1:1 and request appropriate transfer if it is not available. Use surgical hats and large hospital towels for head covering, after all. These towels are very difficult to rip in pieces without something to cut them, and hats are too fragile.
Written by someone who was left pretty much muted, stripped off and tied up in front of several dozens of people in the name of that Holy Safety (Grand Rounds in ICU). The staff who did it was shocked to their bones when The Highest Powers descended over them in full force for what they perceived as "justdoingourjobs", not humiliation of an already ultimately helpless human being.
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
EVERY patient. And for those who resist body check, I am happy to cut their clothes off with my scissors as security holds them down or places them in restraints.
Wow........
Random question, how much attitude do you get from your patients? Or are they meek little well behaved lambs
EVERY patient. And for those who resist body check, I am happy to cut their clothes off with my scissors as security holds them down or places them in restraints.
you sound totally ridiculous and very disrespectful. So glad you enjoy your torture, I mean work. Hope no one loses their baby.
I can't believe I'm agreeing with macawake, so this situation must be very serious indeed.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
In our ER we have what some people call strict policies on what behavioral patients are and are not allowed to have. When someone comes in for evaluation of a psychiatric nature, whether it's anxiety, depression, what have you, all of their belongings are taken from them whether they are voicing SI/HI or not. This includes their underwear, bras, hair bands, jewelry, socks, shoes, everything. They are provided with paper scrubs, mesh panties and non-skid socks and they have to change in front of a staff member of the same sex. They are allowed to keep eyewear, dentures and things of that nature. With that being said, I have not yet had a Muslim woman who wears a head covering come in. My guess is that our policies would allow them to keep it after it had been searched by a staff member.
We do this for several reasons. We keep all of our behavioral patients in one area of the department, so if even that particular patient is not SI/HI, we can't risk a patient who is getting their hands on something dangerous and harming themselves or
someone else. For those who are SI/HI, well, it's obvious.
Our rooms in that area are basic stripped down rooms, with a dedicated tech for that area to do 15 minute checks and if someone needs 1:1 they will have a 1:1. There is also an officer in that area pretty much 24/7 because we pretty much always have someone under IVC at any given time, but even if we don't have an IVC patient they tend to stay there. We have phone hours and visiting hours, patients can't have straws or eating utensils, no pens or pencils unless it's being used with supervision, they're not allowed to have any hard fruits such as apples, no caffeinated beverages, only water after evening snack, etc.
That is nuts! If a person came in because of depression or anxiety all this would occur? Do they not have the right to leave? Last I heard depression/anxiety or were not on the list of reasons for losing all your rights. I would understand for a suicidal/homicidal or just plain nuts person, but for the average Joe just having some problems?
You simply don't know which person/patient is a threat or could become one
Exactly, so when we do know that someone is having a psych crisis, we prepare for the worst possible scenario. Every patient gets stripped down. No sharp cutlery, no aluminum cans. No clothes.
Do they not have the right to leave?[/u]
Often, no they do not have that right. Involuntary psych holds are a thing.
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Hygiene Queen
2,232 Posts
I was an inpatient psych nurse. Yes. We allowed the patients to keep their head coverings for religious reasons. If there was any concern about their immediate safety, they would be put on a 1:1... as would anyone that had special reasons (whatever they might be) that required an allowance outside the norm.