[Isolation and forced injection in the opinion of affected patients and patient care personnel. An accompanied quarter year sample].

Abstract

All cases of seclusion and emergency sedation at a regional psychiatric university hospital were studied for a period of 3 months. The patients involved, and their nursing staff, were questioned on the day following the above mentioned incidents and the patients again after their remission from the exceptional state that had caused them. Every sixth patient underwent, at least once, either seclusion or emergency sedation, or both. These occurred most frequently during the first week of hospitalization, and in patients with a predominantly negative attitude. Women showed violent behaviour more often than men and also admitted to it more frequently. Seclusion was generally better accepted than emergency sedation. In less than half the cases the patients clearly rejected the past coercive measure; cases of total acceptance, however, were even less frequent, though acceptance tended to increase with remission. The authors dealt with the legal status of coercive measures. They also stressed the importance of discussing them afterwards both with patients and nursing staff in order to preserve the self-respect of all concerned.