I have cared for “criminally insane” patients during my 28 years as a psychiatric mental health nurse in the acute care setting. Those patients with impending revocation of a conditional release, pre-trial evaluations, incompetent to proceed, and NGRI, but now I am working in a long-term care state hospital that is greater that 90% forensic. Of those about 43% are shorter stay patients that are incompetent to proceed. In this population regaining competence is touted to be the primary focus of care and treatment.
My professional dilemma is implementation of the nursing process at this organization. My observations show less than adequate assessment, absent planning, fairly good intervention/implementation, and non-existent evaluation.
As an administrator I see opportunity to make dramatic change in this department. I see opportunity to elevate the nursing professional practice to a level that could be the benchmark. I see an opportunity to introduced evidenced based practice into this interdisciplinary yet medically driven organization.
My charge is to create, implement, educate, and mentor the advancement in nursing practice in this organization. My quandary is and my question posed is; Does anyone have input into methods or approaches that will expedite and facilitate this paradigm shift?
tags
forensic nursing chronicles
forensic nursing
forensic nursing theories
forensic nursing diagnosis
forensic nursing mental assessment
forensic nursing mental health assessment
forensic nursing long-term care
Tags: Forensic Nursing long-term care, Forensic Nursing Mental Assessment, Forensic Nursing Mental Health Assessment
Forensic Nursing Chronicles 