Where is the legal/ethical line w/Baker Acts?

MajorAl · May 7, 2006

I have worked mental health for the past 30 years, what the heck is a Baker Act? Where I work, we are smoke free, the most he would have gotten is a nicotine gum. Perhaps you need to encourage your workplace to go smokefree. And if you're concerned about this (or any other) patient eloping, you (at least in Wisconsin) can pursue until the edge of hospital property. Since I work with people who have been found not guilty by reason of mental disease/defect, we have a little more liberty in requesting Police help with elopements than my coworkers who work with civilly committed patients. On the civil side we have to get the MD to authorize requesting police intervention whereas I can go ahead on my own and get the police involved due to the legal status of the patient. When working with the mentally ill, you need to know the statutes of the state you're in to protect yourself. Regarding the right to refuse medication, it all depends on the statute wording. Some of the patients I work with retain the right to refuse medication/treatment, some are court ordered to take medication/treatment. In most juristictions, it is up to the Judge signing the commitment order to determine the patients rights. As far as your refusing to give a medication, in this case you need to check with your Nurse supervisor as to what the policy states. Are you fairly new on the job? If so, you should not be escorting patients until you have been trained in how to do it and how to handle situations like this. Take care. Alan