Psychiatry

PICU Admission Criteria (Psychiatric Intensive Care)

Psychiatric intensive care (PICU) admission: the NAPICU criteria (information page — there is no validated admission points score).

Result

There is no validated points score for psychiatric intensive care (PICU) admission. NAPICU's National Minimum Standards (2014) describe PICU as care for patients in an acutely disturbed phase of a serious mental disorder, with a loss of capacity for self-control and a corresponding increase in risk that does not allow safe, therapeutic management on a less acute or less secure ward; patients are usually detained under mental health legislation. The behaviour leading to admission generally falls under one or more of: externally directed aggression (significant risk of harm to others, or extreme aggression towards property); internally directed aggression (significant suicide risk not responding to the preventive measures available); absconding by a detained patient where the consequences are serious; or unpredictable behaviour posing a significant risk to self or others. The decision is a senior clinical one agreed with the PICU team; manage violence and aggression, including any rapid tranquillisation, per NICE NG10 and local policy.

References

Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.

Drugs

Pathways

Decision support only — verify against a current formulary, NICE, or your local guideline before clinical use.

References

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