- “I can feel my stomach rotting away.”
- “I must do what God tells me to do.”
329➤ CLINICAL EXAMPLE
John Jones, 33, has been admitted to the hospital for the third time
with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. John had been taking
haloperidol (Haldol) but stopped taking it 2 weeks ago, telling his case
manager it was “the poison that is making me sick.” Yesterday, John
was brought to the hospital after neighbors called the police because he
had been up all night yelling loudly in his apartment. Neighbors re-
ported him saying, “I can’t do it! They don’t deserve to die!” and simi-
lar statements.
John appears guarded and suspicious and has very little to say to
anyone. His hair is matted, he has a strong body odor, and he is dressed
in several layers of heavy clothing even though the temperature is
warm. So far, John has been refusing any offers of food or fluids. When
the nurse approached John with a dose of haloperidol, he said, “Do you
want me to die?”
- What additional assessment data does the nurse need to plan care for John?