What is it with the "I love going green" thought

[Pug RN]

I'm a seasoned nurse of 20 plus years but brand new to mental health nursing.

Here is something I've heard several folks say that confuses me.

"I love going green/hands on."

Now I'm new to this, but possibly missing something. I could see where pride in a therapeutic hands on would be beneficial, but enjoying them and jumping at the chance to run throufhout the hospitsl to each and every one seems counterintuitive to me.

Could some of you folks who have been around psych a bit longer please explain for me? I haven't had to go hands on at all yet but I know it will happen and want to know what may be going through the mind of my team.

[LilaDavis]

Hello :)

I've only worked in psych a few years but I've never heard the term 'going green.' As for hands on, do they mean restraint or possibly just getting more involved in therapeutic work?

The nurses on my unit generally get inundated with admissions/discharge paperwork, meds, risk assessments, care plans etc and I know they really revel in the opportunities to be "hands on" doing therapeutic work - having protected time with patients, leading groups, that sort of thing that is normally done by techs on our ward.

From your post though it sounds like 'hands on' is referring to restraints or physically handling patients? I don't think I've ever heard someone say they enjoy that aspect of the job. It's definitely necessary at times and I could see feeling proud for a job well done, or keeping the patient/others safe, administering needed medication etc. But I wouldn't go as far as saying I'd look forward to it, and I'd worry somewhat about the motivation of someone who does.

A less disturbing explanation could be that they enjoy the adrenaline rush. I've definitely experienced that - it's more like getting hyped up and ready to jump into action which can be exciting. Maybe it's not about enjoying putting their hands on patients (red flag) so much as getting a rush from flexing their emergency muscles and getting experience?

I'm just rambling now :) I'm sure someone else has a better explanation!

[Heylove, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I've never heard of it, either. I'm not a seasoned psych nurse by any means, but between my experience at an acute psych facility, and years in law enforcement, I've never heard of these terms.

I get a much bigger "rush" from being able to de-escalate a situation without the need for restraints or putting hands on patients. My personal safety is right up there on my list of priorities, as is the safety of my coworkers and patients.

[Pug RN]

Going green/hands on is the term they use at my facility for all hands on deck for a possible physical intervention.

[elkpark]

Seems like there are always a few of those folks around in psych settings, similar to the (often self-proclaimed) "trauma junkies" you encounter in EDs and EMS. My position has always been that it's important to do take-downs therapeutically and correctly, but any takedown is not something to congratulate yourself for; it's much better to avoid letting situations get to the point of physical intervention in the first place.

[Pug RN]

Coming from a pediatric med/surg/icu setting I was wondering if these people were the trauma junkies of the psych world.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

At the facility where I work any time we have to put "Hands On" a patient it's considered a treatment failure. I don't think any of us "enjoy" code greens but they do happen and we try to be therapeutic and physical intervention is a last result.

Hppy

[B52, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN]

When I read the headline my initial thought was something to do with being environmentally friendly.... Any how, we had one guy on our unit, a big guy heavily into martial arts, and he loved those kind of codes. Getting him to pay attention was a miracle, but any time a code was called he jumped into action, and when it was over, he would talk about it nonstop. He didn't last long after the old nurse manager retired and we got a new nurse manager who puts a priority on caring.