Posted by dove on November 29, 2004, at 9:12:48
In reply to Re: To ladyofthelamp, posted by ed_uk on November 29, 2004, at 5:35:28
I've been hospitalized a few times, the last three times were last year. The psychiatric hospitals in my state have changed greatly since the 1980's, and for the better. The stays have also changed, even when involuntarily committed, they discharged me earlier than the mandatory legal hold time. Strange... There is however, a big difference in quality between different communities.
While inside the locked (and video-surveillanced) psychiatric wing of the small community hospital, I had educated, warm and empathetic nurses checking on me every 10 minutes for the first 48 hours straight (i am not joking!). During the night they even came in with a flashlight if I turned off my night light--recessed in the ceiling for my safety. I had been living on the streets at this point and had lost over 50 pounds and was literally starving. They had a ward kitchen for the patients with a fully stocked refrigerator: fruit juices, different kinds of milk, lots of tea, coffee, sandwiches, ice cream, fruit, cookies, crackers. bread, yogurt, soup. Always unlocked, always available, it was ecstasy!
We had at least 5 group meetings and activities everyday. Once a week, we did a group activity that included making a big meal for all of us. The nurses were open to patient ideas and personally went out and bought the meal ingredients. We made Tacos one day, and with a whole counter of ingredients (refried beans, tomatoes, cilantro, ect..) and I was allowed (under their canny eyes) to use a real knife to cut the tomatoes and onions, LOL!!!
We saw our assigned psychiatric doctors at least once a day except on Saturday and Sunday, when they visited only once. I also had visits from my Therapist and my private Pdoc every other day. I know that some people did not get this same type of quality care, although, they were still seen by their assigned Pdocs once a day. I had my own mental health people before being committed, and had a serious (and disastrous) breakdown in my own existing illness which nearly destroyed my marriage and family.
The unit had three televisions, we watched the nightly news together as a group every night and nurses assessed how different meds were affecting our mental acuity. We had VCRs and movies (and educational videos) available for semi-private viewing. Family could bring in videos also, and the nurses were not very strict in their content although they preferred non-violent material ;-)
We had exercise equipment, a piano, ping-pong table, pool table, books and lots of newspapers and magazines! The nurses would go online and research our meds and dxes (and sometimes unrelated subjects of interest) and print out stacks (seriously) huge stacks of info for us. I was even allowed to read Psychobabble while sitting next one of the nurses (although I couldn't post).
We had to go outside to smoke, into what we lovingly called "the Cage". It was and is, quite literally, a cage, with metal fences around all sides and plastic covered fencing for a roof--and the ever-present video camera. We were allowed a smoke break about every two hours except during visiting hours when you have extra stress and have to go three and a half hours without a smoke break! One person is named "the keeper of the flame", and they are responsible for lighting everyone's cigarettes and handing the lighter back to one of the nurses when we all come in. Sometimes the nurse would actually forget to get it and we, the patients, would prove ourselves worthy of responsibility by bringing it to her without her first asking.
And yes, lots of nonsmoking patients would also go on the smoke breaks. The nurses called it "smoke therapy" as we spoke more freely and honestly with each other, bonded as a group and individually, and offered each other support, advice and an open ear. We were also not strictly prohibited from smoking more than one cigarette on our break (which was strictly enforced at another hospital I was at) and I could get permission for up to three cigarettes per break.
This is the very first time I have written (or talked) about my hospital stays, so I apologize for the incredible LENGTH of this post! I would love to write another post about the mediocre psych-ward I was inpatient in, between my two stays at this very superb one, but that will have to wait. Thanks for listening!!!
dove
poster:dove
thread:420511
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041128/msgs/421781.html