What to expect in hospital
Especially during the first admission of a relative into hospital for mental health problems, many relatives do not know what to expect and what is involved in psychiatric care and treatment during an inpatient stay - this may also be particularly stressful for people whose relatives have been sectioned, and so may be in the position where their relative did not go into hospital voluntarily.
Going into hospital does not usually mean that your relative will be confined to bed. They will be able to wear their own clothes and use their own toiletries, but should avoid taking valuables as the security of these personal goods can sometimes be a problem. On some wards there may be restrictions on taking in items such as razors, matches and lighters etc.
Upon arrival your relative will be met by the nursing staff who will probably be dressed in everyday clithes and identified only by thier name badges. Your relative should be introduced to a named care-coordinator (key worker) or the primary nurse who will be responsible fr co-ordinating their nursing care. Itis this nurse that is likely to be the person who explains to your relative about their rights under the Mental Health Act, and their expected treatment and progress.
Upon arrival your relative will be met by the nursing staff who will probably be dressed in everyday clithes and identified only by thier name badges. Your relative should be introduced to a named care-coordinator (key worker) or the primary nurse who will be responsible fr co-ordinating their nursing care. Itis this nurse that is likely to be the person who explains to your relative about their rights under the Mental Health Act, and their expected treatment and progress.
The hospital ward
In some hospitals, there are not separate wards for men and women. If your relative is going in as a voluntary patient, they do have the right to check this beforehand and ask for single sex accommodation if it is available. When someone is admitted in an emergency, this can be more difficult to arrange. What ever the circumstances, toilet and bathing facilities will always be single sex.
The regime of daily activity in hospital
This will vary and will depend upon the types of ward your relative is staying in, and what their individual care and treatment needs are.
High dependency wards often accommodate people who are often quite unwell and not ready to engage in therapeutic activity, and may have high levels of supervision. In these wards there is likely to be less pressure for people to be active than wards where people are less unwell, and have less need for constant supervision.
For people experiencing an acute psychotic episode where they are experiencing symptoms, and may potentially wish to harm themselves or act aggressively towards others, staff within theses types of wards may sometimes have to take actions such as restricting activity or even locking the ward for periods of time in order to protect the safety of the patient(s).
Rehabilitation wards are where people are moved to when they are ready to engage in more activity, under less supervision. Recovery is likely to be under way at this stage and occupational therapy and talking treatments may be offered to patients. At this stage your relative will start to develop new relationships with other specialist professional staff.
Visiting
There may be unrestricted visiting in some hospitals, while others may have flexible hours. The ward manager will be able to give details of visiting arrangements. Visiting may be restricted in some cases if your relative's treatment team feels that recovery could be achieved more quickly by the patient acting independently of support from their family.
The ward round
Your relative will also be involved in the weekly ward round where all the members of the treatment team meet your relative - and the informal carer, though sometimes separately for confidentiality reasons, to discuss the treatment plan.
The regime of daily activity in hospital
This will vary and will depend upon the types of ward your relative is staying in, and what their individual care and treatment needs are.
High dependency wards often accommodate people who are often quite unwell and not ready to engage in therapeutic activity, and may have high levels of supervision. In these wards there is likely to be less pressure for people to be active than wards where people are less unwell, and have less need for constant supervision.
For people experiencing an acute psychotic episode where they are experiencing symptoms, and may potentially wish to harm themselves or act aggressively towards others, staff within theses types of wards may sometimes have to take actions such as restricting activity or even locking the ward for periods of time in order to protect the safety of the patient(s).
Rehabilitation wards are where people are moved to when they are ready to engage in more activity, under less supervision. Recovery is likely to be under way at this stage and occupational therapy and talking treatments may be offered to patients. At this stage your relative will start to develop new relationships with other specialist professional staff.
Visiting
There may be unrestricted visiting in some hospitals, while others may have flexible hours. The ward manager will be able to give details of visiting arrangements. Visiting may be restricted in some cases if your relative's treatment team feels that recovery could be achieved more quickly by the patient acting independently of support from their family.
The ward round
Your relative will also be involved in the weekly ward round where all the members of the treatment team meet your relative - and the informal carer, though sometimes separately for confidentiality reasons, to discuss the treatment plan.
