Every hospital is bound to have patients who present unique challenges to healthcare providers. These patients are often labeled as difficult, hard-to-manage, or even unkempt.

While many patients can be managed with standard treatment and care, uncontrollable patients present a unique set of challenges for hospitals and their staff.

Who are Uncontrollable Patients?

Uncontrollable patients are those who manifest behaviors which makes it challenging for healthcare providers to provide effective care and treatment.

Such patients may present a diverse range of behaviors that fall outside the standard treatment protocols found in conventional medicine. These behaviors may include:.

Refusal to comply with care protocols
Aggression, agitation, and restlessness
Self-injury, mutilation, and suicide attempts
Disruptive or violent behavior towards other patients or staff members
Drug or alcohol abuse and addiction

Uncontrollable behavior can also occur in patients who are undergoing acute mental health crises or traumatic events. Such patients may require specialized diagnoses and treatments to tackle their underlying medical and behavioral issues.

The Root Causes of Uncontrollable Behaviors

Uncontrollable behaviors can have many roots. In some cases, it can stem from past trauma, abuse, or neglect.

In extreme cases, patients with uncontrollable behaviors may have incurable conditions like dementia or delirium that can cause or exacerbate the issues. Substance abuse and addiction can also lead to uncontrollable behaviors. Such patients require intensive treatments, including medication-assisted therapy (MAT) and behavior therapy.

Sometimes, patients that exhibit uncontrollable behavior show no physical or psychological problems, which means they become untreatable.

Healthcare providers struggle with these patients and become frustrated, leading to burnout, compassion fatigue, and stress.

How Healthcare Providers Can Address Uncontrollable Behaviors

The treatment and management of uncontrollable patients are becoming more nuanced and patient-centered. The goal is to identify the cause of the behavior and address the issues at their core.

This way, healthcare providers can treat the patient, instead of just the symptoms. Below are some strategies healthcare providers can use when dealing with uncontrollable patients:.

Therapeutic Communication

Therapeutic communication is the use of verbal and nonverbal techniques to build trust and rapport between care providers and patients.

It is a critical tool in managing and treating uncontrollable behavior and is usually a standard component in behavior therapy. By building a good working relationship with patients, healthcare providers can better understand their needs and fears, which is the first step in tackling the underlying issues that give rise to their uncontrollable behavior.

Crisis Intervention

Uncontrollable behavior often leads to crisis situations that require critical interven-tion. Healthcare providers must have a plan and protocols that enable them to address these crises quickly and effectively.

Emergency Code Teams (ECTs) are an example of such protocols. They consist of well-trained care providers whose job is to intervene and provide the necessary support when uncontrollable patients become a danger to themselves or others.

Medication Management

Medication management is a crucial element of treating uncontrollable patients in hos-pitals. Doctors can prescribe medications to calm patients and reduce their anxiety and aggression.

Maintaining records of medication use is vital to ensure that proper dosage and monitoring are in place. This helps prevent dependence, overdose, or misuse of medication.

Behavior Therapy

Behavior therapy is an effective treatment option for patients with uncontrollable behaviors. It aims to help patients change maladaptive behaviors and reduce the risks of future incidents.

Behavior therapy usually includes components such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT), and other evidence-based practices.

Support Groups

Support groups for healthcare providers are critical in managing patients with uncontrollable behavior. They provide a platform for care providers to share experiences, exchange knowledge, and find support when dealing with challenging patients.

Support groups can also help prevent burnout and caregiver fatigue.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, hospitals must include a thorough framework that addresses the needs of patients with uncontrollable behaviors. Staff must prioritize the patient’s safety and strive to provide effective and compassionate care.

Healthcare providers must work together to manage these patients, and it is crucial to use therapeutic communication, medication management, support groups, and behavior therapy in the treatment of such patients.