Mental Health Being forced into a blood draw

[awesome31311]

I am someone who has had too much experience with the ass backwards mental system in the United States. Now, my sister is a nurse who pretends to know the system better than I do, and we consistently get in arguments over this. For example, I tell her that nurses will interact with psych patients for no longer than seven seconds, and will feel very embarrassed if any patient tries to talk to them about their care.

But anyway, we have these discussions all the time. She gets offended when I talk about what actually happens to me. In more recent times, I told her that psych patients in America cannot refuse blood draws. I have been restrained for refusing bloodwork. I have seen this happen to my brother as well. There have been news reports of this happening throughout America as well.

Yet, what do even the most liberal wannabe medical staff say? That everything is procedural. Lol. They don't document shit.

Anyway, I made this thread so people can share their own experiences with forced blood draws as psych patients

 

[hydroazuanacaine]

were you committed? i’m a psych patient and i’ve never been forced to do anything. i tell psychs we’re through anytime i’m not getting my way. even with poor person insurance bought off that government website i can get another one that will do what i want.

 

[awesome31311]

were you committed? i’m a psych patient and i’ve never been forced to do anything. i tell psychs we’re through anytime i’m not getting my way. even with poor person insurance bought off that government website i can get another one that will do what i want.

Not committed. No court order either

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

I'm assuming they had a reason that you haven't told us, either from not knowing or otherwise. Context helps. Not trying to put you down, just trying to help you parse things out a bit.

As for documentation, even the best of psych. wards has it's issues. From no one doing there one-on-one (staff and patient talking together time) to handing out a sheet of paper to group members and then wrapping up the "group".

I think that if a person is very outward, psychotic or otherwise, they want to know if it's organic or due to a substance. This is for the safety of the patient. Just a possible scenario.

 

[Meth novice 79]

I’m in Aus, so it’ll be slightly different but Americans that I’ve talked with offer similar experiences to here so I don’t think it’s hugely different

If you’ve been detained under the mental health act, then there’ll be a next of kin giving consent
At that point, if they’ve consented to a procedure, then yeah they can force you

Next point is where is this?
If you’ve voluntarily admitted yourself to a hospital psyche ward, you’re also handing over consent to your ‘carers’
But they can’t physicaly restrain you still, they’ll just boot you out for not following their rules.

In any other hospital environment, consent MUST be obtained directly from the patient.
If you’ve said no, and they held you down anyhow, lodge a complaint.
Here we have multiple ways of doing so.
Minister of health ombudsman for health as well as the particular hospitals complaint system
That would be on the wall of every ER or hospital room. You have rights and they must inform you of them.

Nurse or not, you’re sisters talking out her ass, possibly because she wants to make you get help?

 

[awesome31311]

I'm assuming they had a reason that you haven't told us, either from not knowing or otherwise. Context helps. Not trying to put you down, just trying to help you parse things out a bit.

As for documentation, even the best of psych. wards has it's issues. From no one doing there one-on-one (staff and patient talking together time) to handing out a sheet of paper to group members and then wrapping up the "group".

I think that if a person is very outward, psychotic or otherwise, they want to know if it's organic or due to a substance. This is for the safety of the patient. Just a possible scenario.

Well, yes, you are indeed assuming. The system relies on people who make similar assumptions, like, "oh hey, they can't legally do that! There must be some reason behind it". In this case, that reason was an ego trip.

I stopped launching complaints because the system is so backlogged with complaints, by the time they get to yours they'll say, yeah that's shitty but nothing we can do on our end, you're gonna have to find a lawyer, etc etc

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

No one is trying to assume anything. I was asking honest questions. You could start by engaging us as equals and not insult the people whom are trying to help you.

You don't sound balanced at all to me. I don't think we can help you until you become more level.

Regardless of one's profession, they will treat you well if you do the same. But I'm open to the possibility that this wasn't true in your case. But, again, we can't get past this point if you're hot-headed.

More so, we have to keep order on this forum. So you can either not post or post in a decent matter. No more incendiary content, please.

 

[awesome31311]

No one is trying to assume anything. I was asking honest questions. You could start by engaging us as equals and not insult the people whom are trying to help you.

You don't sound balanced at all to me. I don't think we can help you until you become more level.

Regardless of one's profession, they will treat you well if you do the same. But I'm open to the possibility that this wasn't true in your case. But, again, we can't get past this point if you're hot-headed.

More so, we have to keep order on this forum. So you can either not post or post in a decent matter. No more incendiary content, please.

You yourself had claimed you made an assumption. It is unreasonable to be offended by my repetition of that objective fact.

I would not get offended if the tables were turned either. If you quoted me on something, I would actually appreciate that you're backing a claim with evidence. This is not being "hot headed". It is called being objective.

Regardless, I understand that over the internet, on mere text, it is difficult to convey emotion relative to hearing someone's tone in their voice. In any case, I believe you're on an ego trip here because of the way you edited my post out of you being personally offended by the facts being laid out. If you have a refutation to that, then tell me that instead of merely remarking upon being offended.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

This is a bit ridiculous. Last time I'm going to try to meet you.

Indeed I labeled it an assumption because it seemed probable, but I wanted your take on it before making any judgement. Level-headed people aren't likely to believe that they took your blood maliciously. It's not off to suggest that something else is going on, like that you're paranoid. That's not an insult.

There's nothing wrong with educated guesses. But since you're so interested in argument, try looking up the ad hominem fallacy. I don't know if you were grouping me with these people or not, but you're attacking the character of people, which is not valid argument.

As far as I'm concerned, you haven't proven yourself to be capable of being objective at all.

I edited your post because it was incendiary, as stated, if not outwardly abusive.

In honesty, I don't care about proving to you anything. It's clear what's going on here. But I won't let you do this to others so that's a warning for you buddy.

 

[checktest]

I declined a blood draw at a psychiatric hospital [I've been hospitalized both willingly as well as sectioned...SI/SA/Depression] and was fine...but I have seen blood drawn in the ED for suspected drug and metabolic abnormalities, mainly for agitation, delirium, psychosis, or initial evals. Definitely some variability with nurses and some locations. Some places are more wary of administering agents if there are medical or alcohol/drug factors at play. Grey area of what is in the general interest if the person is a threat to themselves or others, possibly under the influence.

Also, checking levels for compliance. I was chided initially for lamotrigine levels when I actually was taking it appropriately, but they came around to it and believed me.

Then again, I had enough psychomotor retardation most of the hospital times that restraints wouldn't have been necessary.

But that nurse who messed up my blood draw when I weighed 125... come on. Basically some of the easiest veins, from multiple nurses. I digress

 

[Isnortice91]

They tried forcing me to give blood in 2018
I said no because I only want a Muslim doctor taking my blood. Lol I'm not religious just said that because I knew they would be stumped into understanding I'm saying fuck off in a good way.

 

[Isnortice91]

I think they secretly suspect you were using street drugs that's why. When they wanted my blood moments prior to wanting my blood they asked me if I was using street drugs. I fuckin hate the mental health system so bad. If you're middle class or poor you are not allowed to use any drugs or be prescribe drugs that will improve you're life but if you're rich and born in Malibu hills the doctors will treat you like a God and will never assume you're on street drugs.