Pursuit of the ordinary: short-term inpatient treatment

Short-term inpatient care creates tension between administrative mandates to reduce costs through shortened lengths of stay and staff members' commitment to the philosophy, treatment strategies, and milieu organization associated with extended inpatient care. The attempt to practice as usual within the shortened stay, that is, to do long-term treatment quickly, is bound to fail. Effective short-term care is possible, but only when the culture and treatment approach of the unit are radically altered from those of the traditional model. Short-term inpatient treatment can be understood as the pursuit of ordinary behavior during the inpatient stay. This article offers a set of norms and expectations appropriate for this pursuit.