No one here can tell you how much freedom you will have. It will depend on the unit and what level of care you need. You have to wait till you get there unfortunately.
At first you will probibly just be assessed. They will review your meds and you diagnosis and determin a possible discharge date. Then set up a care plan.
The average,
well-adjusted adult
gets up at 7.30am feeling just plain terrible.
Call me Kate.
I have dyslexia so please excuse my poor spelling and sometimes poor understanding.
Well at the moment, no meds at all.
Hopefully will just be in for the weekend as after that there will be people around to help me, but i guess its up to them not me.
~ SilentBoy
Some people just need a high-five. To the face. With a chair.
Have had an assement. So so the care staff can work out how much direct care i need, and any meds. Not that they have told me anything, other than i have an appointment with a psych tomorrow, but again i havent yet been told why
Pink, its refered to as a secure unit overall but thats only part of this perticular unit. Where i am i seem to have a fair amount of freedom, but within limits. For example i cant go outside, even to smoke, without someone with me.
All in all its not as bad as i expected, still kinda scary though
~ SilentBoy
Some people just need a high-five. To the face. With a chair.
I'm glad it's not as bad as you expected but it's understandable it's still very scary. Initially it will be because you don't know people but hopefully you will quickly get to know people and settle in to the routine of the ward.
Hope you all the best. I know its very hard but its for the best right?
My RYL family:
I-used-to-be-positive is my big sister razorxkissedxwrists is my mommy alyssa.star is my sister phoenixflames_forever is my cousin concreteangel, helpmydeath, xxbeckyxx and queer fringe are my little sisters bob--says--hi is my twin
I hope this stay helps.
You may be allowed out to smoke on your own once you've seen the psych and they get to know you :)
Use the staff to your advantage, its not as good as being home obviously, but probably safer.
X
Yeah i think it will
Because i wasnt able to see a psych last night the nurses kept an eye on me. I guess you could say it was suicide watch although nobody used that phrase to my face.
I have seen the psych now and he seems to think i am bipolar with dissasociative traits. I am also being considered low risk, so i suppose thats good.
Ive spent most of my time this morning talking with nurses and other patients, just general chat to keep myself distracted.
Am feeling really good at the moment
Love you all, talk soon
~ SilentBoy
Some people just need a high-five. To the face. With a chair.
They don't have a "suicide watch" - just observation levels of varying degrees. The unit I am in have 4 levels; 1- constant observation within arms reach at all times. 2 - constant observation in the same room/close to you. 3 - Nurses to be aware where you are and check every 15 minutes. 4 - Nurses to be aware where you are and check every hour (I think).
Levels 1 and 2 mean you have a staff member following you around everywhere, watching you in the bathroom/shower/in bed. They are for people at risk to themselves/others. Levels 3 and 4 you are just checked up on and are for people who are low risk/risks are unclear.
(As you mentioned earlier on you weren't sure what it means) Secure units are often also called Intensive Care Wards, and differ from the General Psych wards as they are usually 1:1 or 1:2, usually house people who are convicted criminals but extremely mentally ill and so not responsible for their crimes. Obviously they are for people who are seriously ill/challenging behaviour, every person there will be on a section.
General psych wards are also secure (as in you can't just walk in or out), but for a more general/broad spectrum of disorders, you can still have 1:1 (see the obs levels I put earlier) but the patients won't be as violent or dangerous (as ICW patients are constantly, perhaps they will have odd occasions).
Thats what the secure unit is like at my hospital anyway, after asking staff member here.
There are lots of different types of secure wards. PICU-psychiatric intensive care, secure rehabs, forensic-people who have committed serious crimes due to illness, such as arson or gbh, they have high, medium and low services.
But as bramble says, general (acute) wards are still locked.
I'm fine! Totally fine. I don't know why it's coming out all loud and squeaky, 'cause really, I'm fine!
Thanks for the info. Twas really helpful and has enabled me to converse more with the nurses, which has in turned given me a better understanding of how they help myself and other.
I'm actually in a really good place right now. Just gotta do tonight and I can go home!
Thank you all for your ongoing support. I love you all so much. :)
Talk soon
~ SilentBoy
Some people just need a high-five. To the face. With a chair.