Discussion i work in a psych hospital AMA

[su1c1dal-dungeon]

Hi. I spent two years at Trenton Psychiatric. As someone who was sexually assaulted and beat up often I just want to ask why you don't separate into cohorts based on violence, severity of illness, and age?

i dont live far from trenton psych and i will say that it is one of the worst state hospitals ive ever seen. i didnt work there but ive heard all kinds of fucked up stories.

im so sorry that happened to you. at my hospital we do split up individuals. we have a young adult unit which is usually depression and anxiety 18-25ish. two adult units which hold more severe illnesses like schizophrenia and those in high manic episodes. we have a dual diagnosis unit for those with substance issues. an adolescence unit for those 12-17. and a geriatric unit for older adults and those with medical issues.

 

[claracatchingthebus]

i have coworkers who will write in patient charts without even talking to the individual themselves. they will read what someone has written in the past day and re-write it for that day. as we know, feelings and actions fluctuate and the individuals should ALWAYS be talked to on every shift.

one coworker in particular has written that people are isolative due to not even knowing what the individual looks like, people are hypomanic and hyperverbal for wanting to talk to others, and individuals are labile due to reasonable shifts in mood due to environmental reasoning.

many people have been reported for this reason but i have yet to see someone fired. we are so short staffed i guess the higher-ups cant afford to be firing people.

im so sorry this happened to you. when i was inpatient i had a whole note regarding my smoking habits.. i dont smoke. but that goes to show how little some people in this profession care.

just recently a 20-something year old escaped after a door didnt close all the way. it made it to the closest highway before getting picked up by police and brought back. there werent any "consequences" per say. he was moved to a unit on the 2nd floor and restricted to the unit to make sure it didnt happen again.

1. i dont know much about healthcare in other countries so i dont think im able to answer that question, sorry!
2. not often do people attempt in my hospital. usually its attempts to self harm, i.e. scratching, head banging, plastic utensils, etc.
3. i myself was a patient about a year into working at my hospital. i wont say i "got better" as im obviously still suicidal lmao but there was one tech who *allegedly* was a patient before and he seemed to be a pretty chill guy. he had a wife, kids, and grandkids so id say he was doing a bit better from whenever he was inpatient.
4. i personally have not been hurt by a patient but i have many coworkers who have. it was more likely at the long-term hospital. one worker had her head slammed into the pay phones the patients use. at the short term hospital we actually have someone who has been on medical leave for about 2 months now after being tackled, punched, and strangled by a patient.
5. i honestly have no clue about the percentage of people who actually get better. we have some individuals who come back regularly and some who we never see again; but that doesnt mean they arent at another hospital. i wish i could say at least 50% but thats probably unrealistic.

Do you realize it's unethical to not report your colleagues who are lying in medical records?

Do you realize how extremely traumatizing this is for the most vulnerable patients who can't prove this is happening and will be deemed paranoid if they complain the staff are lying and making things up?!

I am sorry, but you are part of the problem. You should be reporting those colleagues to licensing, even if it means needing to find another job. It's horrendous what you people do and concealing the corruption is terrible and mean and hypocritical and vicious.

 

[su1c1dal-dungeon]

Do you realize it's unethical to not report your colleagues who are lying in medical records?

Do you realize how extremely traumatizing this is for the most vulnerable patients who can't prove this is happening and will be deemed paranoid if they complain the staff are lying and making things up?!

I am sorry, but you are part of the problem. You should be reporting those colleagues to licensing, even if it means needing to find another job. It's horrendous what you people do and concealing the corruption is terrible and mean and hypocritical and vicious.

i never said that i dont report them. i said they never get fired. thats a huge difference. we report people constantly. the higher ups not firing them are the problem; not the ones doing their jobs the right way.

 

[claracatchingthebus]

i never said that i dont report them. i said they never get fired. thats a huge difference. we report people constantly. the higher ups not firing them are the problem; not the ones doing their jobs the right way.

It would be nice if there were more confirmation from people in these facilities that this goes on.

Just reporting it to management who keeps it quiet and internal is still corrupt and unethical.

Patients are being billed thousands and thousands per day and some may want to get out and be discouraged from chellenging their involuntary stay, or may lose a challenge, because of fake made-up smoked charts by lazy psych techs. It illustrates the huge corruption, avarice, and fundamental selfishness of the entire industry and those who work these that this practice is not publicly known about. As a patient who experienced it, it's beyond horrifying and infuriating.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

It sounds like you work at a UHS facility. It"s okay you don't have to confirm. Evil company and a uniquely American abomination. i pray there will be a definitive reckoning soon.

If f people still manage to kill themselves while in the care of these places, how do you think the can justifiably position themselves as a safe space for suicidal people?

 

[claracatchingthebus]

i never said that i dont report them. i said they never get fired. thats a huge difference. we report people constantly. the higher ups not firing them are the problem; not the ones doing their jobs the right way.

i was not trying to make you feel bad, it's nice of you to post in here, but as someone who experienced the lies, it would be nice if the practice were more often publicly talked about.

i doubt you want to, but if you want to atone, you could call nami and discuss with them how false reporting in charts is normal and be an anonymous source for them about how bad it is. at least there could be more awareness or confirmation of the issue.