There Are Differences Between Medical and Psychiatric Hospitals

Going to the hospital is always stressful, whetherheld, the area where meals are served, the
you want to be going or not. It is a scary placemedication room, and the nursing station. You will
full of weird things and unknown people, not evenalso be shown how to access clean linens and
counting that you are probably not going to be attowels, gowns if you need them, personal hygiene
your best at this time. Most of us are familiaritems, and since your shoes probably will have
with what happens when you go into a medicalbeen confiscated, you will be given nonslip socks
facility. But there are still some of us who havefor your feet.
never experienced being admitted to a hospital atYou will be expected to take care of yourself to
all, and this article is for them.the best of your abilities. You will need to go to
What to expect at a medical hospitalyour staff for things you need or assistance in
You will go to this hospital either as an emergencydoing your laundry. You will be expected to know
or for surgery, or because you have become tooyour medication regime and to approach your
ill to be cared for at home. None of those optionsnurse for medications on the correct schedule.
makes for a happy camper and any of thoseYou will be expected to be out of your room
events is frightening.during the day and to attend groups.
When you finish in admitting, you will be wheeledYou will see your doctor daily as well as having an
up to a nursing floor where you will be settled intoassigned Social Worker to help with aftercare
a medical bed (one that goes up and down andneeds. Your nurse will be assessing your mental
has side rails); you will be asked to wear a hospitalstatus and your safety status constantly. The
gown during your stay; you will be shown how tonurse will be available to talk with you if you
use the nurse call button and the emergencybecome agitated, frightened, or if you have a
button in the bathroom; you will have your ownspecific need or problem. The care in this hospital
television with a remote and you will have ais provided by a team of individuals, all working
telephone on your side table. You will be pokedwith you to facilitate your return home.
and prodded at all hours by perfect strangers.How are they similar?
These same strangers may even have to dealBoth hospitals are concerned with your health.
with your private areas during medical procedures.Both hospitals have doctors, nurses, and various
They will be courteous and considerate, but theyother professionals to assist you. Both hospitals
are still strangers to you.are available 24 hours a day. Both hospitals help
Staff will bring you water, meals, towels, etc. Youyou get better and return to your life as quickly
will be monitored 24 hours a day and encouragedas possible.
to follow the doctors orders. You will receive yourHow are they different?
scheduled medicine as well as any extra medicineEach hospital deals with a different aspect of the
from your assigned nurse, who is available to youtotal person. A medical hospital deals mainly with
through the call button. You will see your doctorthe physical body and its systems. A psychiatric
daily, but your care will be administered by yourhospital deals with not only the mental status of
nurse. In this hospital, everything is controlled bythe patient, but also with the social and economic
your doctor and determined by written orders ofissues surrounding the patient. The medical model
your doctor.deals with treating illness, so the medical facility is
What to expect at a psychiatric hospitalfocused on treating symptoms of that illness. The
You may enter this hospital willingly or unwillingly.psychiatric hospital also will deal with illness, but the
To be admitted against your will, you will befocus is more on the whole person and the
deemed a danger to yourself or to others by acircumstances surrounding that person. At a
medical professional or a mental health officer.psychiatric hospital you will get illness treated, but
Once admitted, you have all of your personalthat is not the main focus. The main focus of a
belongings taken away from you to be thoroughlypsychiatric hospital is your safety and the safety
checked for dangerous items. You will be askedof others.
to remove all of your clothes for an fullThe last difference to be noted here is if you
assessment and to have those clothes checked,become physically ill during a psychiatric
also. There will be numerous items that youhospitalization there is a chance you may need to
normally need and use taken away from you andbe transferred to a medical facility because there
locked up.are no IV equipment, no oxygen, no monitors, no
You will be shown to your room with a bedcall lights, and no place for any procedures to
bolted to the floor. This bed does not move at alltake place on a psychiatric unit.
and is designed to be too heavy to move. You willIn conclusion, it should be evident that there are
discover that your room is devoid of a television,significant differences between these two types
telephone, or any type of call button. Your nurseof hospitalizations. Both can be traumatic. Both can
will show you the day area, where groups arebe necessary. But the similarities end there.