Going to the hospital is always stressful, whether you want to go or not. It’s a scary place full of weird things and unknown people, not to mention that you probably won’t be at your best right now. Most of us are familiar with what happens when you enter a medical facility. But there are still some of us who have never had the experience of being admitted to a hospital, and this article is for them.
What to expect at a medical hospital
You will go to this hospital either for an emergency or for surgery, or because you are too sick to be cared for at home. Neither of those options makes it a happy camp and any of those events is terrifying.
When you’re done admitting, you’ll be wheeled to a nursing floor where you’ll be placed on a medical bed (one that goes up and down and has side rails); You will be required to wear a hospital gown during your stay. you will be shown how to use the nurse call button and the emergency button in the bathroom; you will have your own television with remote control and you will have a phone on your side table. You will be prodded and prodded at all hours by perfect strangers. These same strangers may even have to deal with your private areas during medical procedures. They will be courteous and considerate, but they are still strangers to you.
The staff will bring you water, meals, towels, etc. You will be monitored 24 hours a day and encouraged to follow doctors’ orders. You will receive your scheduled medication as well as any additional medications from your assigned nurse, who is available to you through the call button. You will see your doctor every day, but your care will be managed by your nurse. In this hospital, everything is controlled by your doctor and determined by your doctor’s written orders.
What to expect in a psychiatric hospital
You can enter this hospitably willingly or reluctantly. If you are admitted against your will, you will be considered danger to yourself or others by a medical professional or mental health officer.
Once admitted, all of your personal belongings will be removed and thoroughly searched for dangerous items. You will be asked to remove all clothing for a full evaluation and also to be searched. There will be numerous items that you normally need and use that will be removed and locked away.
You will be shown your room with a bed bolted to the floor. This bed does not move at all and is designed to be too heavy to move. You will find that your room lacks a television, telephone, or any kind of call button. Your nurse will show you the day area, where groups are held, the area where meals are served, the medication room, and the nursing station. You’ll also be shown how to access clean linens and towels, robes if you need them, personal hygiene items, and since your shoes may have been confiscated, you’ll be given non-slip foot socks.
You are expected to take the best care of yourself. You will need to go to their staff to get things you need or help with laundry. You are expected to know your medication regimen and to work closely with your nurse to obtain medications at the correct time. You are expected to be out of your room during the day and to attend groups.
You will see your doctor every day and have a social worker assigned to help you with your aftercare needs. Your nurse will constantly assess your state of mind and safety status. The nurse will be available to talk with you if you feel agitated, scared, or if you have a specific need or problem. Care at this hospital is provided by a team of people, all working with you to make it easy for you to go home.
How are they similar?
Both hospitals care about your health. Both hospitals have doctors, nurses, and various other professionals to help you. Both hospitals are available 24 hours a day. Both hospitals help you get better and get back to your life as quickly as possible.
What is the difference between them?
Each hospital deals with a different aspect of the total person. A medical hospital deals primarily with the physical body and its systems. A psychiatric hospital deals not only with the mental state of the patient, but also with the social and economic problems surrounding the patient. The medical model deals with the treatment of disease, so the medical center focuses on treating the symptoms of that disease. The psychiatric hospital will also deal with the illness, but the focus is more on the whole person and the surrounding circumstances. In a psychiatric hospital you will be treated for illnesses, but that is not the main focus. The main focus of a psychiatric hospital is its safety and the safety of others.
The last difference to note here is that if you become physically ill during a psychiatric hospitalization, there is a chance that you will need to be transferred to a medical facility because there is no IV equipment, no oxygen, no monitors, no call lights, and no place for any procedures to be performed. perform in a psychiatric unit.
In conclusion, it should be obvious that there are significant differences between these two types of hospitalizations. Both can be traumatic. Both may be necessary. But the similarities end there.
