Working in a hospital means dealing with traumatic patients and sometimes life-threatening events. Not a day goes by without seeing something unique - right? This week's Head Nurse wants to know:

What's the craziest patient you've ever had?

Tell us and your fellow community members your stories!

" Years ago,when working@ a Step-Down Unit,contracted to a local hospital, I had the pleasure to care for

  a 65 y/o female,unable to care for herself, secondary to AKA/DM and schizophrenia.She was usually quite pleasant

 to the nursing staff taking care of her,especially," when compliant to med-taking",though some of her verbalizations,

 "about life in general>political,race- related and gender-preferences were"mind-blowing and highly,off-colored",

  thus,would occasionally,"spark several,near-physical confrontations with other patients".She weighed no more than

  **112 lbs.,though would challenge anyone,three-times her size to a fight.The nursing staff was ,"always on-alert",

   and made their best-effort to,"protect and to serve",this woman,whose" bark was worse than her bite!"

I'm guessing when you use the term "craziest", Head Nurse, you are referring to a case of the most overtly apparent symptom a Mental Health Client has exhibited. I have such a story: 

I was working as A Community Nurse in an Assertive Community Treatment Program out of aCommunity Mental Health Clinic about 14 years ago. One evening, I was visiting  the apartment facility where several Mental Heath Clinics resided. I had just tested a Undifferentiated Schizophrenic Client's urine specific gravity, as he was known to have a history of water intoxication. The specific gravity was low, but within norms. I counselled the Client on limiting his fluid intake as it could cause some medical problems and would wash meds out of his system. The Client informed me he was not doing drugs and I assurred him that I believed that. As I turned away from him to leave with a Female Client, he stabbed me in the back with a pair if heavy, blunt scissors. I was able to push him away, but the Female Client screamed and charged him. He began stabbing at her. I was able to get in between the two when a Co-Worker heard the scream and came to my aid from the apartment facility office. The other staff member and I were able to subdue the Client until the Police and EMS arrived.

The Male Client had been a favorite of the Staff and had no history of violence. He later informed the Psychiatrist that he was in a movie and the Director had told him to stab me. The Client said he didn't want to stab me, but had to follow the Director's orders.

The Client spent two and a half years in a Minimal Security Forensic Hospital setting before being released to the community. I was working in another Community Health Clinic as a Nursing Supervisor. The Client was recieving services from that Clinic and I was able to meet with him at one point. He attempted, in his way, to apologize for the stabbing incident and we  were able to continue a therapeutic relationship.