The nursing and management of the insane : a lecture / delivered by T. Duncan Greenlees to the nursing staff of the City of London Asylum and (with certain alterations) to the nursing staff of Grahamstown Asylum, Cape Colony.

  • Greenlees, T. Duncan.
Date:
[1892]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The nursing and management of the insane : a lecture / delivered by T. Duncan Greenlees to the nursing staff of the City of London Asylum and (with certain alterations) to the nursing staff of Grahamstown Asylum, Cape Colony. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the room, and he ought to take this opportunity of examining the pockets, etc;, to see that nothing is being secreted, and before he leaves the patient he should see that he has carried nothing to bed with him. 9.—The Night Attendant should make such visits to those cases recognised as suicidal as he is instructed; these visits should be made as quietly as possible, and he should endeavour to prevent the patient feeling that these visits are for his special benefit. If the patient gets this idea of constant watchfulness into his head, he is being alwavs reminded of his desire to commit suicide, and he may thereby increase his efforts at eluding our vigilance. While our efforts are directed to prevent suicide we should likewise endeavour, by every means in our power, to make the patient forget his tendency, and, by our cheerful companionship, induce him to take ail interest in life. 10. —Each Attendant ought to feel himself individual¬ ly responsible for the care of the patients, and must never allow a patient, who is known to be suicidal, to possess any dangerous instrument, or escape from super¬ vision, because he thinks “ it is not his businessThe responsibility of the care of our patients rests upon us all alike, and, whether on duty or off duty, we are equally to blame if we relax our vigilance, and permit a patient to escape or do himself an injury. 11. —The Head Attendant is instructed to communi¬ cate the contents of the paper which accompanies each patient on admission to all his staff so that none may plead ignorance, and if anyone does not possess this in¬ formation it is his duty to apply for it without delay. It will be no excuse if anyone says: “ I did not know so-and-so was suicidal.’* 12.—When a new Attendant comes on duty the Head Attendant shall see that he reads The Rules, and shall show him such patients as are considered to be suicidal, that he may understand his position, and the nature of the supervision he is to exercise over such cases.
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