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Emergency control measures for psychiatric inpatients
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|October 1, 1981
Summary
Control measures like emergency medication and seclusion were used infrequently in psychiatric hospitals. However, younger patients and those with shorter stays were more likely to receive them, often linked to active psychosis and dangerous behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Hospital Administration
Background:
- Patient management in psychiatric settings often involves restrictive measures.
- Understanding the utilization and justification of these control measures is crucial for patient care and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency of control measures in psychiatric hospitals.
- To identify patient characteristics associated with the use of these measures.
- To examine the relationship between control measures and patient behaviors/diagnoses.
Main Methods:
- Survey of a large patient population in psychiatric hospitals.
- Analysis of demographic factors (age, length of stay) and psychiatric diagnoses.
- Correlation of control measure use with observed behaviors (psychosis, aggression, self-harm).
Main Results:
- Emergency medication, seclusion, and one-to-one supervision were infrequently used.
- Younger patients and those with shorter hospitalizations were more likely to receive control measures.
- Use of control measures correlated with active psychosis and dangerous behaviors like assault and self-injury.
Conclusions:
- The use of control measures in psychiatric hospitals appears infrequent but is associated with specific patient profiles and clinical indicators.
- Patient characteristics and active psychosis/dangerous behaviors may justify the application of these interventions.
- Further research could explore alternative management strategies and refine criteria for control measure implementation.