a client with a borderline personality disorder has threatened to cut herself?

Question

if i dont allow her to have a cigarette and a sandwich at 3am in the morning. This ward is disrupted at the time as 2 people with bipolar disorder are awake and wanting to party. The client has given you 2 razor blades and say's she has others to use if you do not comply with her request; what would you do??

Its a question for my mental health assignment

Answer 1

search her room for more dangerous items, document the treats and facts that she has shown you the weapons. Follow your facility's policy for caring for a client who threatens to self-injure--- is there a policy to use restrainsts? or a secure room? call a supervisor in on this if you are unsure. Your safety and the client's safety are the concern- not whether or not she gets a sandwich. it's not about the sandwich- it's about control- right now she has it. You need it. follow procedure.

Answer 2

The best way to get rid of one habit is to replace it with a healthy habit. Talk to her about it and choose something she would enjoy rather.
You might be taking away too many of her coping dependencies all at once. 1 smoking 2 eating. Sometimes with a patient you have to choose one bad habit at a time. And choose the worse one to work on, which would be cutting.

Maybe she could light candles.. My daughter did this to quit smoking. Or have her work at figureing out a lock combination. Have her count pennys. Anything that she can do to replace the cutting. Maybe do a cross word puzzle. Play solitair. Be creative. Another thing to do it have her set a timer for ten minutes.....she has to not cut during that time. If she can make it the first 10 minutes she can probably avoid cutting. You maybe need to let her smoke again....but only as a reward for not cutting. Find a thing she likes to do like sorting cards. A word puzzle what ever will distract her.Maybe even a jig saw puzzle.

If she doesn't comply with the rules there needs to be consequences. There needs to be written rules and consenquences for her actions or not actions. Have her sign the agreement.

Good luck. Let me know how it works.

Answer 3

Obviously w/o knowin the person or upon meetin them if I found this out abt them, then it would b too much of a headache to wanna plunge into. However, once I fall in love w this person n then I find out, I feel there's no turnin back. Not to say that u should b deceitful to ur mate n lie abt it, but def don't bring it up first thng. (Well MAYB the trans thng, yes. The disorder, no.) But I thnk most importantly, u gotta work hard to get better. I'm not at all tryna b insensitive by saying that, but u also need to understand that it's just to stressful having to fight n argue w someone u love that it makes it difficult to have a happy, healthy relationshis, let alone one that will last. I wish u the best of luck n much happiness♪

Answer 4

What kind of institution are you working in.
Medication should be perscribed by a doctor to stop these feelings, and also keep the actions in check or under control.
If this person has produced dangerous goods. Keep the patient separate, Really search the living quaters well, x-ray the patient for metal, and if need be restrain the patient until the right medication can stop these compulsions
Obviously you are a caretaker, you cannot let this person harm themself or you will be in trouble, document, everything , you hear, see or any actions that are not normal, forward a copy up to your boss, keep a copy for yourself...KEEP A COPY FOR YOURSELF. are you paying attention ???? keep the copy of all forwarded observations and thoughts at home. If things go wrong the boss will blame you. But do not submit to blckmail, you have control over them, report blackmail immediately.

Answer 5

First off, if this is a ward for people with problems, why is she allowed razor blades in the first place? Talk to the head of the ward and have her room searched. She obviously needs to have her property limited for her safety.

Next, have her doctor talk to her. She threatens a lot, but has she done it? Is she actually intent on hurting herself or is she manipulating you?

As for the sandwich, some people have glucose problems and need to eat at "strange" times. Check with her medical doctor to see if this is the case with her, and if it is, provide a sandwich for her. If it isn't, add it to the list of things her psychologist needs to discuss with her. It may actually do her good if they sedate her at night so there will be more people on staff when she is awake and causing problems.

Answer 6

A person with BPD will often try and manipulate others by threatning to harm themselves. Remember that you can't stop her completely and it is her choice to do this to herself. Do not let her con you into getting what she wants. Be frank with her, and let her know where you stand. Let her know you have heard her requests and validate her feelings without compromising the health and safety of others.

Answer 7

Well, if it is a lockdown facility and she has a history of self-mutilation, you would need to take away ANYTHING that could be used as a weapon. That needs to be a given. But, considering the patterns of BPD, it's likely that she was suicidal and that led to the hospitalization, therefore, because of laws, she would need to be put on suicide watch, and possibly 4 pt restraints.

Answer 8

You notify the nurse, doctor, and her psychiatrist. If she is not allowed to have the food at 3am, she is NOT ALLOWED to have the food at 3am.

The one thing you have to do with people with BPD is to set limits and BOUNDARIES. Do an area and room sweep each hour, and have her sleep in an empty room with just a blanket and bed.

Whatever you do, don't dare her. Borderlines will injure themselves on a dare just to do it - even to the point of killing themselves just to prove to someone they would do it.

Answer 9

Call security. You work at this place, and your asking random yahoo's on the Intranet for advice.??

Answer 10

call security. Tell them to take her to get help.