Citation

O'Brien L, Cole R. Int. J. Ment. Health Nurs. 2003; 12(3): 165-176.

Affiliation

University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing, Family and Community Health, Parramatta Campus, Penrith DC, New South Wales, Australia. l.obrien@uws.edu.au

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc., Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17393643

Abstract

Close-observation areas in Australian inpatient psychiatric units are locked areas usually within an open ward. Despite patient acuity, and the inherent difficulties in this area, little has been written that addresses either the processes or goals of containing patients, the role of nurses, or the skills involved. This paper examines the literature related to close-observation areas and argues that they are highly demanding of expert psychiatric nursing skills. Nurses need to advocate for humane, well-resourced areas, staffed with highly skilled nurses in order to fulfil the obligations of the national nursing and mental health service standards and to reduce the deleterious effects of hospitalization on patients.

Language: en