Mental Health: A Psychiatric Patient (Part 2)
As said in the earlier post, there are special considerations when handling a psychiatric patient. Since psychiatric patients are not able to think like a normal person does, second is their unawareness of what will or not harm them and other person. Here are some tips to consider when handling a psychiatric patient observing at the same time their rights.
1. be placed in treatment against their will
2. pose a risk to themselves
3. have been judged to have committed a crime while legally insane
4. be unable or unwilling to consent treatment
5. be incapable of fully understanding medication risks
6. require restraints for their safety or that of others
7. make threats that obligate their caretakers to warn potential victims
8. undergo forensic evaluation that requires the nurse to testify in court
These hints are to be observed in handling psychiatric patients in order to achieve the goal of rehabilitation and full recovery of these patients. Though obviously, the patient’s rights and the interest of society may collide and meet conflict, each party should be subjected to respect the interest to avoid issues that are not needed in the progress of the people who are in this kind of condition or illness.