scholarly journals Effectiveness of audit in improving interview room safety

2001 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 92-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P. J. Osborn ◽  
Sylvia Tang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Audit Process ◽  
Clinical Interviews ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Pilot Survey ◽  
Audit Cycle ◽  
Safety Features ◽  
Mental Health Unit

Aims and MethodsSafety features of rooms used for clinical interviews were assessed throughout our mental health unit. Following this pilot survey, 12 safety standards were agreed and adopted by a multi-disciplinary audit meeting. Recommendations were disseminated throughout the trust. Adherence to the accepted standards for interview room safety was assessed at 6 months and 1 year after baseline. Following each assessment, results were presented so that the audit cycle was completed twice.ResultsAt 6 months 46 interview rooms were assessed against the 12 accepted standards and many were found to be unsatisfactory. After presentation of these results, the 1 year assessment discovered few changes in safety features of the 50 rooms now being used.Clinical ImplicationsUnsafe rooms compromise the safety of staff and patients and this is clearly unacceptable. The audit process in itself failed as amethod of improving standards.

scholarly journals Improving prescription quality in an in-patient mental health unit: three cycles of clinical audit

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 293-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priti Ved ◽  
Tim Coupe
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Staff ◽  
Clinical Audit ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Patient Age ◽  
Patient Âgé ◽  
Mental Health Unit

Aims and MethodWe undertook three cycles of clinical audit of prescription charts to improve the quality of the prescriptions written in an in-patient unit. Pharmacy and medical staff reviewed a total of 1466 prescriptions on 242 prescription charts against local guidelines and provided feedback to medical staff. The pharmacist also regularly reviewed prescription charts on the wards between audits.ResultsAfter three cycles of audit, 99.5% of prescriptions written were legible. The recording of drug allergies, section 58 status and patient age remained poor.Clinical ImplicationsA combination of clinical audit and continual pharmacist review of prescription charts can improve the quality of prescriptions written by medical staff in an in-patient unit.

scholarly journals Attitudes of mental health practitioners to the Hippocratic Oath: tradition and modernity in psychiatry

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 327-329
Author(s):  
Marek Marzanski ◽  
Tim Coupe ◽  
Padmapriya Musunuri
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Staff ◽  
Hippocratic Oath ◽  
Postal Questionnaire ◽  
Mental Health Practitioners ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Mental Health Unit ◽  
Ethical Basis

Aims and MethodTo establish whether psychiatrists believe that medicine should be practised according to the principles of the Hippocratic Oath, an anonymised postal questionnaire survey was conducted of all medical staff at the Caludon Centre, an 80-bed in-patient mental health unit in Coventry.ResultsThirty-three respondents (82.5%) believed that medicine should be practised according to the Oath. Support for the 15 separate statements derived from the Oath varied considerably.Clinical ImplicationsThe principles of the Oath remain an important guide to the ethical basis of medical practice for most medical staff surveyed.

scholarly journals Audit of disposal of clinically confidential information

2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 324-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craige Dietrich ◽  
Zahir Khan ◽  
James Warner
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Sensitive Information ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Confidential Information ◽  
Safe Disposal ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Mental Health Unit

Aims and MethodWe conducted a 3-cycle audit of disposal of clinically sensitive information in a mental health unit, in order to identify and reduce potential breaches in patients' confidentiality. Material from waste bins in administrative areas of a mental health unit was examined every evening during each period of the audit.ResultsThe first search, conducted over a 3-week period, yielded 11 documents containing highly-sensitive information about patients. After feedback to staff and improvement of shredding facilities, no sensitive information was found during the follow-up 3-week survey, 3 months later. However, a third survey 2 years later found 24 highly-sensitive items after one week, despite shredding facilities being maintained.Clinical ImplicationsChanges in behaviour identified in this audit appear to be due to education rather than improved facilities. All staff involved in patient care need to maintain awareness of the need for safe disposal of confidential material.

scholarly journals A qualitative exploration of the barriers to and facilitators of clozapine monitoring in a secure psychiatric setting

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Sarah Blagden ◽  
Jane Beenstock ◽  
Natalie Auld ◽  
Steve Noblett ◽  
Mark Limmer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Psychiatric Setting ◽  
Important Barrier ◽  
Qualitative Exploration ◽  
Mental Health Unit

Aims and method To explore the beliefs and understanding of staff and patients at a secure mental health unit regarding clozapine monitoring, and to identify barriers to and facilitators of monitoring. Qualitative semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 17 staff members and six patients. Results Six key themes were identified. The key facilitator of effective monitoring was the motivation of staff to help patients to become independent and facilitate recovery. An important barrier was a lack of clarity around the roles of different staff groups in monitoring. Staff and patients widely supported the establishment of an in-patient clozapine clinic and perceived that it would prepare patients for discharge. Clinical implications An in-patient clozapine clinic is a robust mechanism for clozapine monitoring in secure settings. The barriers and facilitators identified here could be applied to other secure units to guide their systems of clozapine monitoring.

Descriptive Study of Adjustment Disorders in a Mental Health Unit.

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S607-S607
Author(s):  
L. González ◽  
B. Pecino ◽  
C. Gomez ◽  
M. Anibarro ◽  
C. Ortigosa
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Care Physician ◽  
Psychiatric Evaluation ◽  
Adjustment Disorders ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Social Difficulties ◽  
Current Employment Status ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Mental Health Unit

IntroductionAdjustment disorders are a common psychiatric disorder in primary care and mental health units, with point prevalence estimates ranging from 0.9% to 2.3%. These disorders have been recently defined as a stress response syndrome in the fifth edition of the DSM, causing emotional and social difficulties and also a large economic burden on society.ObjectivesThe aim of this descriptional study was to analyse the socio-demographic characteristics and treatment of the patients diagnosed with adjustment disorders in the first visit in a mental health unit.MethodsThe study sample consisted of 128 patients admitted for a psychiatric consultation in a mental health unit in Alicante (Spain) from their primary care physician, between February and July 2016. Variables of gender, age, current employment status, diagnosis and treatment were measured. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software.ResultsThe data from 31 patients who were diagnosed with adjustment disorders meant a 24% of the sample. The median age was 47 years old in the adjustment disorders group. Among those with adjustment disorders, 61% were women, and 52% of them were unemployed. Almost 60% of them had at least one pychotropic prescription and only 22% were derived to psychology.ConclusionsAdjustment disorders are considered as an intermediate category between no mental disorder and affective disorders. Most authors recommend to start with a psychotherapeutic intervention. Despite starting with medication has not proved effectiveness in the studies, most of the patients had at least one psychotropic prescription before the psychiatric evaluation.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Prevalence of housing needs among inpatients: a 1 year audit of housing needs in the acute mental health unit in Tallaght Hospital

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Cowman ◽  
P. Whitty
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychiatric Hospitals ◽  
Numerical Data ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Psychiatric Unit ◽  
Nursing Managers ◽  
Housing Needs ◽  
Delayed Discharges ◽  
Number Of Discharges ◽  
Mental Health Unit

ObjectiveThere is a dearth of information relating to the prevalence of housing needs among psychiatric in-patients in Ireland. Most of the information we have to date emerged as a result of attempts to plan for the closure of old psychiatric hospitals and inappropriate community residences. This study sought to identify the prevalence of housing needs among in-patients in the acute psychiatric unit in Tallaght Hospital.MethodsEach week, over a 12-month period, nursing managers and/or key nurses who knew the patients well were asked for numerical data. Information was collected on the numbers of in-patients with accommodation needs, number of delayed discharges due to accommodation needs and number of discharges to homeless accommodation in the previous week.ResultsOn average, 38% of in-patients had accommodation related needs at any one time. Most (98%) of delayed discharges had accommodation related needs. Delayed discharge in-patients with accommodation needs accounted for 28% of all inpatients and for 72% of all inpatients with accommodation related needs.ConclusionsAccommodation need among psychiatric in-patients is underreported. Housing need data should be routinely collected and effective interagency strategies developed to address housing needs.

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