What does medical staff and doctors do when they hear questionable stories or statements?

Question

From patients who are children or patients who are mentally challenged.

One where I work, age 18 mind of a child, has made statements about being locked in cage or being left in the basement. Several people have heard him say this and I was just wondering, do the case workers know. How do you distinguish between imagination and truth. If someone working in the hospital tells someone about these statements will they take them seriously.

Answer 1

Experienced staff look for some sort of physical evidence that the story is true.  If the incident does not cause physical evidence then they look for consistency in the claims of the story.  Mentally impaired people are not good at making up stories and sticking to them. Often a psychiatric evaluation is requested and equally often the staff has to refer the case social workers on hand to help.  Also useful is how the patient ended up in the emergency ward or admissions (ambulance, police, walk in, etc.)

Usually the staff reaches a conclusion most agree with based on  experience.  If they do not reach agreement the lack of it is noted and a follow up requested.  These follow ups are often lost in the shuffle in the overloaded hospitals where this sort of thing comes up most often.  That is why there are always stories of failure in the social safety net, or official neglect and abuse.  It is a difficult situation.

Answer 2

One can scan for internal inconsistencies, but it really boils down to judgment. It's the SWAG method (scientific wild-a**ed guess).

Way back when I was in medical school, I had a psychiatric patient in the VA Hospital who had overt delusions of grandeur. He insisted his military history was one that would make Rambo look like a wuss, and it antedated Rambo. I decided to confront his delusions and sent for his military records. Back came a single sheet, with a huge "classified" stamp and most of the sheet blacked out! One never knows, for sure.

Answer 3

I had to read your question a few times to understand what you were asking but even in people who are mentally and/or physically challenged they have the same rights and anything that is said should and will be "looked in to" .  It is the responsibility of anyone who works with people in these situations to follow protcol.  Example; a childcare provider see's a child with bruises on back and suspects abuse, a hospital worker hears an 18 yr old with a childs mentality say he is locked in a cage in the basement, a baby with numerous visits to the ER etc.  All these things and more require anyone working in these areas to report to the proper authorities.  This includes childcare workers, teachers, social workers, Dr's etc.