The other day we had a patient who was an elderly, demented man who was there for lethargy. Pretty standard case. What was different was that he had a COMPLETELY CRAZYEE daughter. She was just out of control. She first was demanding that we get him something to eat – Um…. “Ma’am, your father is obtunded and will choke if we try to feed him”. Her reply: “Get me the administrator!!!!!”. She then began to rant around the ER going into rooms and closets looking for food (she said he “needed” a sandwich) or God knows what. When we told her that she had to calm down and not go into staff areas, she then threatened to get a nurse and a tech fired. She threw her papers on the floor. We had to call security to escort her out – where she began berating them and accosting the registrars. She then called the police to arrest a nurse for “Cruel and unusual treatment”. We called the police ourselves. Soon after their arrival she began crying and screaming demanding to see her father. She was allowed back into the ER – and promptly put into the psych room for involuntary psychiatrist evaluation – to be followed by commitment. Holy Borderline Personality disorder Batman!
You can be involuntarily committed to a psych ward by the hospital staff and not a family member?
Wow, I did not know that and I’ll have to keep that handy tidbit in the back of my mind.
Too bad those initial holds only last 72 hours. You’d better hope her dad doesn’t become a frequent flier, or you may be seeing lots more of her.
@cardiogirl – I rarely see someone involuntarily committed by family – it is almost always done by ER staff or police in my experience.
I haven’t committed a visitor yet, but I’ve wanted to ;-)
Isn’t it almost impossible nowadays for a family member to do an involuntary commitment? I understand this is from the days when it was not uncommon for abusive men to do this to their wives.
Commitment laws are specific to each state, province, or territory. The general standard is, an imminent threat to the safety of themselves or others, or incapable of attending to their own basic needs. However, who gets to decide? Talk to legal counsel. Your mileage may vary, and detaining someone against his or her will can get you in a world of hurt if you do not comply with the law in your jurisdiction.
Or, just lock the loonies up and let the courts sort `em out. Some of the families I have dealt with, I would have been willing to take the chance.
People never cease to amaze me. That’s the first time I’ve heard of a visitor getting locked up.
The flip side is that if she was going through my drawers I probably would have Tazed her.