terms new to me

[rnpsychdc]

Hi, I have a job in psych nursing which is new to me! I wondered if anyone is familiar with a couple of terms "30-30" which is a term used with restricting a patient's whereabouts. Also, "contracted for safety" Does that just mean they've said they are not HI/SI? thanks for your help!:)

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

"Contracted for safety" means that the patient has promised not to hurt themselves or someone else, and that if they feel like doing so they will seek out help from staff first. They can still have feelings of SI or HI; they just promise not to act on them.

However, sometimes the contract isn't worth the paper it's printed on. Some patients will contract for safety just to get the staff off of their back and the attention diverted away from them, so a contract for safety should not replace frequent and thorough assessment. Nor should the contract ("he promised he wouldn't hurt himself!") prevent you from acting if you have a gut feeling that something is wrong with the patient. Always trust your instincts.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Does that just mean they've said they are not HI/SI? thanks for your help!:)

It's usually used in the context of admitting SI or HI, but stating they won't act on it

However, sometimes the contract isn't worth the paper it's printed on. Some patients will contract for safety just to get the staff off of their back and the attention diverted away from them, so a contract for safety should not replace frequent and thorough assessment. Nor should the contract ("he promised he wouldn't hurt himself!") prevent you from acting if you have a gut feeling that something is wrong with the patient. Always trust your instincts.

Absolutely Correct.

The significance is when a patient can't or won't verbalize that they won't act on any ideation in the next X hours. At least then you know that that patient is indeed at risk.