Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-24hb2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T12:49:27.825Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Violence, dissatisfaction and rapid tranquillisation in psychiatric intensive care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Clive E. Hyde*
Affiliation:
South Manchester University Hospital Trust, Withington Hospital, Nell Lane, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2LR
Colina Harrower-Wilson
Affiliation:
South Manchester University Hospital Trust, Withington Hospital, Nell Lane, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2LR
Julie Morris
Affiliation:
South Manchester University Hospital Trust, Withington Hospital, Nell Lane, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2LR
*
Correspondence
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

We examined the associations of violence, patient dissatisfaction and occurrence of rapid tranquillisation in psychiatric intensive care, using an on-line nurse-based computerised database over a two-year period. Non-Caucasians were over-represented in violent incidents with physical threat, and previous forensic history was associated with more violent means of attack. Dissatisfaction related to non-understandable provocation and the total number of violent incidents. There was no correlation between rapid tranquillisations or side-effects and dissatisfaction. Remedial action and education in the psychiatric intensive care unit may reduce violence, and better prescribing habits, avoiding anti-psychotic polypharmacy in rapid tranquillisation, should be encouraged.

Type
Original papers
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

References

Atakan, Z. (1995) Violence on psychiatric in-patient units: what can be done? Psychiatric Bulletin, 19, 593596.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hyde, C. E. & Harrower-Wilson, C. (1994) Psychiatric intensive care: principles and problems. Hospital Update, May, 287295.Google Scholar
Palmstierna, T. & Wistedt, B. (1987) Staff Observation and Aggression Scale, SOAS: Presentation and Evaluation. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 76, 657663.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sheehan, J. D., Hardie, T. & Watson, J. P. (1995) Social deprivation, ethnicity and violent incidents on acute psychiatric wards. Psychiatric Bulletin, 19, 597599.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, C., Bartlett, A. & Mezey, G. C. (1995) The extent and effects of violence among psychiatric in-patients. Psychiatric Bulletin, 19, 600604.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.