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Observations of the observed: a study of inpatients' perceptions of being observed

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

SR Moorhead ,
M Langenbach ,
J Kennedy ,
CM Hodgson ,
P Ruiz  and
O Junaid
SR Moorhead
Affiliation:
University Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Dept of Psychiatry, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4LP, England
M Langenbach
Affiliation:
Klinik fur Psychosomatische, Medizen und Psychotherapie de Heinrich-Heine-Universitat, Diisseldorf, Germany
J Kennedy
Affiliation:
Thomeywood Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Porchester Road, Nottingham, England
CM Hodgson
Affiliation:
Nottingham Healthcare NHS Trust, Nottingham
P Ruiz
Affiliation:
Polyklinik, Psychiatrisch Zentrum, Bloomendaal, den Haag, Netherlands
O Junaid
Affiliation:
City Hospital, Nottingham, England
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Abstract

Objective: Examination of the process of therapeutic observation, as performed by nursing staff on acute assessment wards, from the perspective of adult inpatients.

Method: One week after admission, patients were asked to complete a questionnaire, enquiring whether they had noticed their observation, and the extent to which they found it intrusive. Diagnoses were categorised by ICD–9, from the case-notes. Chi-square was used to analyse the results.

Results: Fifty six per cent of patients perceived changes in the intensity of their observation. Psychotic patients were significantly more likely than the rest (p = 0.016) to feel that they were observed too closely, despite not being uncomfortable with this. There was a trend for patients in the traditional psychiatric hospital to feel more discomfort than those on a psychiatric ward in the district general hospital (p = 0.12).

Conclusion: Respect for privacy and dignity may notentirely be attainable for the most vulnerable group of psychotic patients. Opportunities may exist to improve matters with the closure of asylums and attention to ward layout and design.

Keywords

AssessmentContainmentPatients' CharterPrivacyTherapeutic observation
Type
Brief Report
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , June 1996 , pp. 59 - 61
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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References

1.Department of Health, England and Wales. The Patients Charter. HMSO 1991.Google Scholar
2.Shugar, G, Rehaluk, R. Continuous observation for psychiatric inpatients: a critical evaluation. Comp Psychiat 1990; 30: 48–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Langenbach, M, Moorhead, SRJ, Ruiz, P, Hodgson, C, Kennedy, J, Junaid, O. Observation levels in acute psychiatric admissions. Dublin: Royal College of Psychiatrists Annual Meeting, 1992.Google Scholar