[fergus]

Based on my own experiences and some that I've read here I think it would be a good idea for hospital mental health wards to have some open houses throughout the year. There's a lot of fear associated with going in the first time and lots of questions about when to go.

I figure for most surgeries you have to go ahead of time. I think it might help.

The hospital I use doesn't have open houses that I'm aware of, but I have seen them walk people through the unit telling them about it. They are pretty open door that way I guess. I remember the first time I was going in, I called and spoke at some length with someone on the unit (probably one of the RN's). She let me know what to bring, what to leave home, how the routine of the facility works, etc. It did help me feel like I wasn't completely going into the unknown.

[Merlin]

I would think that an open house would be a violation of the current patients' privacy.

Originally Posted by Merlin

I would think that an open house would be a violation of the current patients' privacy.

Not to mention completely disruptive to the environment for the patients. An open house would feel like the public coming in to view the animals in the zoo (I'm not calling the mentally ill animals -- just an analogy). One on one, closely escorted, "tours" of the facility for people who are making a decision about hospitalization soon, just makes much more sense, is not disruptive, and is much safer for all involved both physically, mentally, and privacy-wise.

[Merlin]

Originally Posted by farmergirl

Not to mention completely disruptive to the environment for the patients. An open house would feel like the public coming in to view the animals in the zoo (I'm not calling the mentally ill animals -- just an analogy). One on one, closely escorted, "tours" of the facility for people who are making a decision about hospitalization soon, just makes much more sense, is not disruptive, and is much safer for all involved both physically, mentally, and privacy-wise.

Somehow I doubt that there will ever even be tours for people making decisions in my region. There are just so few beds that you need to be at the point where they could commit you, just to be admitted at all.

Originally Posted by Merlin

Somehow I doubt that there will ever even be tours for people making decisions in my region. There are just so few beds that you need to be at the point where they could commit you, just to be admitted at all.

That's too bad. I'm in a large metropolitan area so several facilities are available. I've never had any trouble being admitted because they were too full, although a couple of times for maybe parts of a day they were closed to new admissions. Never for more than maybe a 12 hour period though.

[fergus]

I guess your right about privacy. Maybe if we just had a chance to talk to one of the staff outside of the unit. I just remember my first time of driving there, hanging out at the mall next door for an hour, then the parking lot of hospital for another hour and finally hanging out in the ER for yet another hour before I finally had the courage to checkin.