Where Do They Go?

[handyrn]

I am wondering, for those people who have psych disorders and cannot live on their own, when they are discharged from the hospital, where do they go? Are there places for these patients to live? In my area we have a few assisted living facilities that are especially designed for the mentally ill but once they no longer qualify for assisted living status, they are left to go to a nursing home. There is one nursing home in particular that takes all of them. The problem that I see is that in a nursing home you are not able to physically or chemically restrain a person even if they are being physically abusive to others. You are not allowed to send them to their room for a time out. I know that in mental facilities these things are allowed. It seems to me that there must be places that these people can go besides a nursing home. I am just wondering if there are places designed especially for them in other parts of the country or do they always end up in the general nursing home population?

[Mish56, BSN, RN]

well, good luck!Glad the psych MD at least saw the guy. SOMEDAY, when I get around to getting my masters I want to research the difference in amount of prescribed meds when 1). the doc gets called because of assaultive behavior. 2). the doc is on the unit during an assault 3). the doc is assaulted personally.

I mean, sure, I understand that when someone has just clocked you, objectivity tends to decrease. And, the docs I work with that know me well, trust my judgement, when I say something tactful like "you're joking right?",when they order a whoppping Ativan 1 mg. I'm 100% sure that if one of my patients on the psych unit goes into cardiac arrest, they might think "could someone get me a "real nurse", as I say, "wow, that' a really interesting shade of gray":chuckle.

Hope you and your co-workers stay safe until the judge gets there. How about versed prior to bathing? LOL

[psalm, RN]

Since deinstitutionalization our mentally impaired have few options, I am talking about the ones who have no place to go. I am definately not advocating for snake pits or the attic...but I see it with my mentally retarded brothers in their group homes.