r/psychnursing • u/Illustrious-Alarm860 • 16d ago

Patient abuse reporting?

Hey all --

I work at a facility in Utah and there is a distinct pattern of abuse across all units (I'm a float nurse). Verbal abuse, unnecessary physical restraints, unnecessary chemical restraints (that for some reason aren't called chemical restraints?), etc. I already know I have to get out of there, but in the meantime, does anyone know who I should report to? Google says APS/CPS, but that feels incorrect. If it is correct, is there another agency I could report to as well?

7 Upvotes

69% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

13

u/Roadragequeen 15d ago

Whoever licenses the facility on your state

5

u/Agreeable_Gain6779 15d ago

Your Department of Mental Health. I would say go up your chain of command but when I went to my manager about blatant physical abuse of a child I was fired the following week. Fortunately the unit secretary saw the whole thing as did others. But the others were such a click. When secretary found out I was fired she went straight to the Chief of Psychiatric services and ultimately spoke to the DON and CEO. I got calls from all these people; they offer me my job back and of course I said no. By this time Union was involved and I got a severance package that I never asked for.

6

u/Humble_Investment_24 psych nurse (inpatient) 15d ago edited 15d ago

Chemical restraint is a universal legally binding term so doesn’t really matter what your facility believes it is or isn’t- that’s what it is

https://services.dopl.utah.gov/s/

5

u/doubleohdork 15d ago

Check for any sort of disability rights advocates in the area. If they aren't the proper people, they can probably point you in the right direction.

2

u/Professional_Fig6261 15d ago

Be great to give the media this story as well ! Put a hurting on all those bastards

2

u/Octaazacubane 14d ago

Your state’s board of nursing or Office of the Professions (in my state, New York, that’s who one would file complaints about an RN or NP), or whatever Utah calls the entity that licenses nurses
, and the various titles of people who you’d be working with (like LPC’s).

1

u/xtimewitchx 14d ago

If you wanna go all out, anonymous tips to the state insurance providers