I wonder whether there are any statistics to indicate how many people with dementia have been admitted to ‘assessment wards’ fully mobile, continent, talking and walking.
But during their time in the assessment ward and before discharge, they have become doubly incontinent, immobile, have lost the ability to engage in meaningful talk, and are even more confused than on arrival.
The above is exactly what happened to my relative as result of time in an assessment ward. So trouble-free (apart from dementia) on admission, that even some of the nursing staff were asking us what the reasons were for the admission, because they could only see a fairly well-functioning individual. Cheerful, happy, chatty, but with dementia. (I won't go into the reasons for admission here, because it is irrelevant to the thread.)
Our experience of the assessment unit doesn’t match your description, Psych_nurse. The only time a consultant was ever seen in that unit was at the weekly ‘ward round’, when she sat at the table, surrounded by staff and files. They discussed the patients, and spoke with any relative who attended the ward round to ask about their own relative in for assessment.
But only after the relative(s) had left, was the “Plan” (as they call it) discussed and written into the notes. That “Plan” often included changing medication, adding new meds, removing existing meds. With absolutely no discussion with the family at the time. Lots of other things were discussed as part of the “Plan” too – but not with relatives.
A small group of relatives became concerned, and we asked questions. We got to see the full notes of our relatives, and the “Plans” as discussed at the ward round, but not discussed with the family. That was very revealing.
There are wonderful assessment wards – there are also lousy assessment wards.
There are wonderful psych nurses – there are also lousy psych nurses.
There are wonderful consultants – there are also lousy consultants.
There are wonderful caring relatives – there are lousy uncaring relatives.
But there’s only one kind of patient – a patient in need of care.
It troubles me that you say the consultant is the expert as far as drugs are concerned, yet you are happy to post details of drugs that you say counteract side-effects of other drugs. (I'm not doubting you - because I have not researched that particular drug.) Psych nurse, I am worried to find you posting such information. You may well be the best psych nurse ever, but you may not even be a psych nurse for all we know. Forgive me my worries, but as I am sure you will understand, those of us who have 'less good' experience of assessment wards will forever carry those memories and doubts with us.