PICU Admission Criteria (Psychiatric Intensive Care)
Guides admission to Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) based on risk level and behavioural criteria per NAPICU standards.
Score interpretation
→ Continue on open ward; review risk daily; ensure 15-min obs minimum; de-escalation; review medications
→ High Dependency Unit (HDU) if available; enhanced observations; psychiatric registrar review; rapid tranquillisation protocol if needed; consider PICU referral if not improving
→ PICU referral; ensure MHA detention if informal; rapid tranquillisation (lorazepam + haloperidol or olanzapine IM); consult PICU team; NAPICU guidelines; document capacity assessment; multidisciplinary risk review
Interpretation bands for the PICU Admission Criteria. Apply clinical judgement and local guidance.
References
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
- Labetalol (IV — Hypertensive Emergency) · Combined Alpha-1 and Beta-Adrenergic Blocker
- Labetalol (IV — Hypertensive Emergency) · Combined alpha and beta blocker
- Tenecteplase · Cardiovascular Emergency
- Tirofiban · Cardiovascular Emergency
- Terlipressin · Gastrointestinal Emergency
- Octreotide · Gastrointestinal Emergency
- Acute Behavioural Disturbance / Rapid Tranquillisation · RCEM 2022; RCPsych 2022; NICE NG10
- Self-Harm Presentation · NICE NG225 (2022)
- Capacity Assessment (Mental Capacity Act) · MCA 2005; Code of Practice
- Acute Psychosis Management · NICE CG178 2014
- Depression Management · NICE CG90 2022
- Lithium Therapy Monitoring · NICE CG185
Decision support only — verify against a current formulary, NICE, or your local guideline before clinical use.