Suicidal patient on placement...

[msbowkett]

Hi all

I'm a student nurse in my second year on an acute ward placement. we have a 34 year old lady who is in for respite and is depressed. She constantly cries and says she doesn't want to be here. she has only made 1 actual attempt a few years ago and has no set plan. she came up to me and started to cry and said the staff nurses on the shift were being mean to her. one of them told her to go away, that she wasn't her nurse, acused her of setting fires (the patient want to burn her self) and didn't want to talk to her. the nurse then closed the door on her. i spoke to another staff nurse as i felt this was a bit harsh to the patient. this staff nurse said that they were doing tough love on her as she needed to know the implications of arson. This staff nurse told me how she went in the patients room and the patient started rolling on the floor crying, the nurse told her to stop the nonscience and get up, to which the patient did straight away. they also told her she had to take her meds or she would have to go as she is on respite. the patient tolds me she didn't want to go home as she would be a burden for her mum.

I felt really bad for this patient and the staff nurse i spoke to said she tries to play staff against each other and needs constant attention.

Are the staff correct in handling this patient this way? am i feeling bad for the patient due to my emotional weakness as a student?

What would you do and How do you guys help suicidal patients????

Michelle

[chris_at_lucas_RN, RN]

The patient needs two things immediately: protection from herself and medication.

In the United States, she more than meets the criteria for an inpatient admission. I would expect, on the strength of what you are describing, that she could be safe enough to be released in a week or two, provided she did take her meds. Here she is not required to take her meds unless so ordered by the courts, and that is a bit rare.

It is unfortunate that, as a student, you are seeing nurses treat a patient so poorly. This is not nursing, psychiatric or otherwise. In the US (again--sorry, it is my only frame of reference) it certainly happens, but it is considered abusive. If the patient kills herself, or even injures herself, the nurses who did not properly respond are liable for neglect.

Some of what you are describing is "borderline personality disorder," but lethality is lethality, and harshness never cured a personality disorder anyway.

Good luck to you and to your patient. Be kind to her, but do not let yourself be run over by her, and be prepared for her to love you, then hate you, then love you. (If you want a really good, easy to read reference, get a copy of I Hate You, Don't Leave Me.) This may be the best medicine you can give her. Meantime, tell your instructors in as clear and calm language as you can, what you have told us here.

Take care, dear.

Hi all

I'm a student nurse in my second year on an acute ward placement. we have a 34 year old lady who is in for respite and is depressed. She constantly cries and says she doesn't want to be here. she has only made 1 actual attempt a few years ago and has no set plan. she came up to me and started to cry and said the staff nurses on the shift were being mean to her. one of them told her to go away, that she wasn't her nurse, acused her of setting fires (the patient want to burn her self) and didn't want to talk to her. the nurse then closed the door on her. i spoke to another staff nurse as i felt this was a bit harsh to the patient. this staff nurse said that they were doing tough love on her as she needed to know the implications of arson. This staff nurse told me how she went in the patients room and the patient started rolling on the floor crying, the nurse told her to stop the nonscience and get up, to which the patient did straight away. they also told her she had to take her meds or she would have to go as she is on respite. the patient tolds me she didn't want to go home as she would be a burden for her mum.

I felt really bad for this patient and the staff nurse i spoke to said she tries to play staff against each other and needs constant attention.

Are the staff correct in handling this patient this way? am i feeling bad for the patient due to my emotional weakness as a student?

What would you do and How do you guys help suicidal patients????

Michelle