What's It Like Being Hospitalized for Bipolar? - Medications for Bipolar Disorder?

Written by Juliet

MEDICATIONS: On admission, medications will be ordered by your Meyer 4 physicians. Please arrange to send home any medications (prescribed or over-the-counter medications) brought with you. All medications will be administered to you on a daily basis by nursing staff. No medications are allowed to be kept in your room, (unless an exceptional doctor's order is given. Please take note of the times they are ordered. It is important to keep them on schedule. We encourage you to learn all you can from your physicians and nurses about your medications.

VALUABLES: Please send all valuables home. If not possible, hospital security will place your valuables in the Admitting Office safe and give you a receipt for retrieval. We advise keeping a small amount of case to use for laundry, magazines, sundries, etc. You can purchase items in the gift shop located on the first floor of the hospital.

ROOMS: On admission, you will be assigned a single or a double room. There are times when we must change patient rooms because of your treatment requirements or those of another patient
NOTE: Male and female patients are not allowed to visit in the same room.

TEAM ROUNDS AND INDIVIDUAL THERAPY:Your physicians will make walking rounds on the unit every morning. Therefore, you should not leave the unit until after your physicians have seen you. This is an essential time to discuss your problems and treatment plan on a daily basis.

For individual therapy, your assigned resident physician will arrange set times with you.

Your primary and associate nurses will individually plan your care with you and take a special interest in assisting you with your treatment goals. When they are not on duty, another nurse will be assigned. You and your nurse arrange an appropriate time to meet for an individual session.

The social worker is concerned with understanding you in relation to your family and your environment. Sessions can be arranged for guidance in utilizing community resources, discharge planning and family counseling.

The nutritionist is concerned with your dietary needs. Sessions can be arranged to guide you individually, especially if you have an Eating Disorder.

GROUP THERAPY: Much of your psychotherapy is conducted in the group setting. The occupational therapist will discuss with you which groups you are assigned, and you will receive a schedule to follow. The nursing staff also conducts teaching and support groups. Attendance and participation are expected at the daily groups (Monday-Friday), and in community meetings (Monday and Friday evenings). We encourage you to learn all you can, ask questions and appropriately discuss problems. Educational material about your illness will be provided in the form of videos, slides, books, articles and other printed handouts.

RESEARCH: The Johns Hopkins Hospital is proud of its contributions to the discovery of causes and treatments of disease. The advances in psychiatry are the results of research projects involving clinicians and their patients.

We hope you will consider taking part in research projects presented to you. However, you have no obligation to take part in them.

GETTING UP IN THE MORNING AND BEDTIME:All patients are expected to be up no later than 9:00 a.m., and dressed in appropriate street clothes. Patients are expected to retire to their rooms at the latest by 12 midnight (during the week), and by 1:00 a.m. (on weekends). The night staff checks each patient's room every half hour during the night for your safety. Please alert the staff if you have difficulty sleeping.

MEALS: Three meals a day (and a snack if appropriate) will be brought to the unit Patients are expected to eat int the front day area of the unit. Your name will be on your menu on your tray. Blank menus will be brought each evening to the unit for your selection. Note that newly admitted patients who have Eating Disorders do not receive menus but will receive special instructions and be provided with an Eating Disorder
Protocol booklet.

MealTimes: Breakfast 8 am-9 am
Lunchl2 pm-l pm
Supper5 pm -6 pm

SAFETY FOR ALL PATIENTS: All packages brought to the unit must be checked at the nurses station. Sharps such as, (razors, scissors, knives, etc.) will be taken from you and secured at the nurses station. Potentially harmful chemicals (such as, nail polish remover), will be removed and secured Visitors may not give any type of medication to patients. Visitors may notprovide food (including candy and gum) to patients who have Eating Disorders because their diet is strictly and therapeutically supervised. Alcoholic beverages and illicit drugs are strictly prohibited on the unit Please note: For reasons of patient safety, the treatment team will decide to keep wilt doors locked.

T.L.O.A.'s: or Therapeutic Leave of Absence. A physician's order, with the approval of the treatment team, as required. First fill out a request form; talk it over with your primary or associate nurse; and obtain comments and signatures from either of them. The request will then be discussed and a decision will be made by your treatment team.

T.L.O.A's are generally granted toward the end of hospital stay. The main purpose of a T.L.O.A. is to assess how patients function and communicate with their families and loved ones, (in the home setting usually). This is preparatory to discharge. It is vital that patients, families, and significant others inform the staff about the activities, and interactions involved on T.L.O.A

T. L.O.A's are usually granted for Saturday and Sunday in time spans of 4-8 hours (never overnight). Overnight and too frequent day passes are not usually approved by health insurance. T. L.O.A.'s should not interfere with groups.