THE USE OF ISOLATION IN A PSYCHIATRIC-HOSPITAL

Restrictive measures are widely used in psychiatric hospitals. But they are ill reputed. Little is known about them. This study is about the administration of isolation of mentally ill patients in a psychiatric hospital. 274 isolations of 100 patients within 11 months are recorded. Isolations concern 5 % of the treated patients. That means two isolations on 1000 days of hospitalization. Mostly concerned are patients with schizophrenia or manic episodes. The most frequent reasons given were protection or irritation, danger for the patient or others but also molestation or provocation.