By C1 Staff
SALINAS VALLEY — State officials have laid down strict new procedures for Salinas Valley State Prison’s psychiatric unit after a patient there suffered what one expert called a “very preventable” death.
The Herald first reported the death of 36-year-old Desmond Watkins from psychogenic polydipsia, a psychiatric condition in which patients have unquenchable thirst and can die from drinking too much water, according to the Monterey Herald.
Court records show the prison’s psychiatric staff were or should have been aware of Watkins’ condition for at least four months before he died.
The latest changes just coming to light are revised policy and procedures to detect and treat polydipsia patients at the Soledad prison’s psychiatric unit.
The new rules went into effect in June, state hospitals spokesman Ralph Montaño said.
The written policy states that patients will be promptly referred to a doctor when lab work shows abnormal results or “the patient displays any signs or symptoms of water intoxication.”
“Untreated water intoxication can lead to seizures, coma and death,” warns the 15-page policy memo to nursing staff.
Required procedures include monitoring patient water intake and hourly urine output.