title: Nonemergent forcible medication in an acute hospital.
abstract: Nonemergent forcible medication is a controversial procedure that has received somewhat less study in acute hospitals and in states where a simple in-house "treatment-driven" clinical review procedure is followed. We reviewed the charts of all patients so medicated by the New Jersey "Rennie" process on a large general acute adult psychiatric service, finding 43 (3%) of 1420 admitted patients so treated. Compared with a population of next-admitted individuals, these "Rennie" patients more frequently had previously required extended emergent forcible medication, had significantly longer hospitalizations (70 versus 26 days), not accounted for by the duration of treatment refusal, but improved with treatment so that almost all were discharged directly back to the community. Rennie patients appeared more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and were significantly more likely to have a known history of assault, threatened assault, or property damage, but significantly less likely to have a known history of suicide threat or attempt. They were also significantly less likely to have a principal or secondary diagnosis of personality disorder or substance use disorder.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Bergen Pines County Hospital, Paramus, NJ 07652.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Attia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D035061:Control Groups; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016312:Treatment Refusal; D014754:Violence
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs