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Subbulakshmi Karthikeyan, PT, CWT

Inpatient physical therapist | Adult rehab

Baptist Health

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Ms. Karthikeyan is a registered physical therapist for the state of Florida. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and has done several certifications for Parkinson's treatment and home care. She has been practicing physical therapy for almost 15 years in various places like skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, rehabs, short-term rehabs, and home care. Now she is working in an acute care setting, a behavioral unit at Baptist health. Her role is, assess and send reports when patients have difficulty mobilizing. Also, she teaches a physical therapist assistant program at Florida State College of Jacksonville (FSCJ). She helped me with the below questions:

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In covering the psychiatric ward, you are constantly around patients who have been hospitalized for serious psychological and behavioral health conditions. Is a criminal record common in these individuals?

 

Despite the different mental or behavioral health conditions among patients in a psychiatric ward, each of which has its own symptoms, do you find common characteristics or behaviors among these individuals?

 

Are there any common characteristics among individuals with a behavioral health condition that may help identify them as having such a condition?

 

In handling or encountering these individuals with behavioral or mental health issues, are there any general communication skills you use to avoid escalating the emotional and mental challenges of the patients? Is there a certain way of talking to them, phrases or ideas to avoid saying, etc?

 

Are individuals with behavioral or mental health conditions, in general, more sensitive to stressful or high-pressure scenarios?

 

Are individuals with behavioral or mental health conditions, in general, more prone to violence or aggression in stressful or high-pressure scenarios? If so, are there any general communication tips to avoid evoking violence or aggression in such individuals?

A psychiatric department often includes individuals with severe substance abuse disorders. Does the psychiatric ward which you cover contain such individuals?

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Are there any common characteristics among individuals with mental health issues and those with substance abuse disorders?  

In general, are there any differences among characteristics and behaviors of individuals with mental health issues and those with substance abuse disorders?

 

How may an individual with either a behavioral health issue or substance abuse issue pose an increased risk, both to themselves and others, in a situation of high-pressure?

 

Being in a psychiatric ward may be a stressor to certain patients due to many reasons, for example the fact that it is a new environment with rules one may not be used to, or even because a patient may be detained involuntarily, especially with Florida’s Baker Act. What general steps are taken when encountering patients to avoid escalating stress or emotion and thus to mitigate the potential risk?

 

Do different behavioral or mental health issues warrant different types of communication?

 

When a patient is in a state of emotional distress, what general steps are taken to defuse the situation?

 

Are there particular communication tips (things to say or avoid saying, etc.) in effectively handling a patient who is in a state of emotional distress?

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What type of professional is responsible for conducting psychosocial assessments to determine the mental health status and needs of a patient?

 

Do you know any common misconceptions people have of those with behavioral or mental health conditions or substance abuse disorders?

 

What are some communication mistakes to avoid in dealing with an individual with a behavioral or mental health condition/substance abuse disorder?

 

Do you know any general ways to support an individual with a behavioral or mental health condition/substance abuse disorder after a high-pressure scenario?

 

Being a mental health worker who works closely with individuals suffering from complex conditions can be stressful and mentally taxing for these workers themselves. Are there any tools or services provided to support you guys in the face of your demanding work?