🚀 go-pugleaf

"Bent Willow" <lambs@home.msen.com> wrote:

>
>-- 
>lambs@home.msen.com
>
>
>Charles wrote:
>> He is discharged AMA on the eighth hospital day, despite efforts to
>> get him to admit himself to a long term dual diagnosis center for
>> further treatment of his schizophrenia and alcoholism.
>
>
>Considering the severity of this man's symptoms and his psychiatric 
>history, why wasn't he committed?  Since long term planning is an essential
>nursing function, I wonder how he was ever allowed to leave the hospital
>with
>no medical followup.
>----
>Mary Ann

Unfortunately, with the changes in the mental health system since the
late 1960's, there often are not enough beds to keep "non critical"
patients warehoused. Since he was "walking, talking and potty
trained," and had been updated on his Depo Prolixin, it would have
been tough to convince a judge to hold this patient, despite his
disabilities. 

We work this situation on a regular basis down here in Louisiana, even
though I have the power to "commit" (Physician's Emergency
Certificate) someone for up to 72 hours, and the coroner (all
physicians in this area) can do so for 15 days on a Coroner's
Emergency Certificate, if there ain't no beds available, and the
patient is not actively suicidal, homicidal or in great danger (and
not sick enough to medically justify restraints), there's not much
that can be done.

Some times "self determination" has been carried a little far by the
courts, but we have to abide by those legal decisions, for the
patient's "best interests."

ck
Charles S. Krin, DO FAAFP KC5EVN, Member, PGBFH
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"Reckless, Hell! I hit jus' where I was aimin'"
   "Bubba Shot the Jukebox!" Mark Chestnut, 1995